


When We Were Young

by IsolationShepherd



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Backstory, F/M, Growing Up, Kabby, Soulmates, Teen Romance, Teenage Kabby, The Ark, Young Kabby, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:48:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 62,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22317343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsolationShepherd/pseuds/IsolationShepherd
Summary: In the year 2123, sixteen-year-old Marcus Kane meets fourteen-year-old Abby Walters at a dance on Alpha Station. They have a strong connection from the start, and soon embark on a young romance. This story follows their journey together, from teenage sweethearts to serious relationship and we watch as they explore everything the Ark and life has to offer.
Relationships: Abby Griffin & Marcus Kane, Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane
Comments: 98
Kudos: 150





	1. Unity Day

The best thing about Unity Day for Marcus Kane was that it fell two days after his birthday, and so it felt like a party for him as well as for the Ark’s historical day. Birthdays on the Ark were rarely celebrated, and certainly nothing like in the way he’d read about in books or seen in movies from the old days back on Earth. No one got a cake, or lots of presents. There was no trip to the cinema or a meal out at a good restaurant. No balloons or streamers or cards with silly pictures from your friends or soppy words from your mom. You were lucky if anyone remembered, and if you were poor but loved like Marcus was by his mother, you might get an extra biscuit from the Mess or something bartered for from the black market.

This year he had turned sixteen, and she’d given him an old book on Earth history. It was beaten up, the pages yellowed with age and dark at the edges from all the fingers that had been licked and then used to turn the pages. Paper books were rare, though, and it must have cost her a lot in terms of goods exchanged. He’d been suitably appreciative of her sacrifice he thought. The book lay on the small table next to his bed, a sliver of metal his dad had carved for him years ago that bore his name used as a bookmark.

He didn’t have time for reading now. He was getting ready for the party. He didn’t have much choice in terms of clothes, but he looked after what he did own, and his mom patched everything carefully, so he always looked well put together when compared to his friends. He was wearing his black jeans and a grey woollen sweater that his mom had darned lovingly so that the holes were minimal.

He ran fingers covered with gel through his short, dark hair, bullying his waves into submission, teasing the curls into a quiff to try and look like his hero, James Dean. He’d seen Rebel Without A Cause several times on the Ark television and identified with the troubled teenager in the movie. His life wasn’t too bad, if he was honest, but he was poor and fatherless, and he thought deeply about their situation up here on the Ark, and about the Earth they’d left behind. He had ambition, but was thwarted by his poverty and his lack of connections, not to mention his mother’s religious persuasions that were mocked by his peers and, he assumed, those above them, who merely tolerated her devotion to the Ark’s ancient creed. It was embarrassing, but then everything was. He longed to be free, to leave this godforsaken tin can in space. If he could sail off in one of the old, broken pods he would.

He appraised himself in the mirror, tugged out a stray eyebrow with neat fingernails. He thought he looked good. Handsome. Mysterious. He picked his prized possession out of his closet, a battered leather jacket, and put it on, turning up the collar. He’d worked hard to get this, winning a prize for composition in English Lit. It was slightly too big for him, but he didn’t care about that, and it meant it would last. He was already tall, nearly six foot and hopeful of gaining the missing inch, but his mother said he still had some growing to do, and he had to fill out his skinny frame. He had started going to the Ark gym to try and add muscle.

“You look good!” he said to himself, and then he went into the tiny living area of their three-room quarters where his mother was waiting for him.

“My handsome boy!” she said, and she grabbed him, pulled him towards her and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Thanks, mom,” he said, shrugging her off.

“Are you going with your friends?” she said.

“Yeah. I’m meeting Sinclair in five minutes.”

“Okay. Well, I might see you there later.”

“Yeah,” he said, hoping he could keep some distance between them. He was planning on having a good night tonight, meeting a girl maybe, getting lucky. He was sixteen, and it was time. He didn’t want his mom hovering over his shoulder, destroying his credibility.

He moved towards the door. “Later, then.”

Vera nodded, blew him a kiss. Marcus smiled at her, then rolled his eyes as he closed the door behind him and headed down the hallway to his friend’s quarters. He knocked on the door and Sinclair’s domineering father answered, shaking his salt and pepper curls with contempt when he saw it was Marcus.

“He’s in his room,” he said, motioning to the rear of the quarters.

Marcus looked his friend’s father over as he passed him. His own father would be the same age as Mr Sinclair if he were still alive. He wondered if he’d be greying now as well. He wouldn’t be short-tempered like Sinclair’s dad. Joseph Kane had been placid, even-tempered, tolerant of his wife’s eccentricities and his son’s daydreaming. Marcus missed him, but he’d rather have a dead father who’d left happy memories than the snarling hard-fisted man his friend had to put up with.

He knocked on Sinclair’s door and entered when told. Sinclair was fiddling with his own hair, only he didn’t try to hide his black curls like Marcus did; there wasn’t much point, because they were tight and impossible to do anything with. He ran a comb through them, resignation on his face when they sprang back into the same position afterwards.

“Goddamn hair!” he said.

“You’re fighting a losing battle,” said Marcus.

“I know.” Sinclair looked Marcus up and down. “You hoping to get lucky tonight, Kane?” he said, smirking.

“It’s the lady who’ll be lucky,” said Marcus.

“Yeah, right,” said Sinclair with a snort. He had a girlfriend, a pretty, red-headed girl called Kira who was tall and willowy and let him get to second base regularly. Marcus wasn’t at all jealous.

“Are you ready to go?” he said, anxious to get to Alpha station early, find a good spot from where he could survey everyone who came and went, look for the girl who was going to be the fortunate recipient of his attention.

“Yeah. Oh, one thing.” Sinclair opened a drawer, pulled out a small plastic tube. “Happy Birthday. I had to work with my dad the last couple of days so I didn’t get to give it to you earlier.”

Marcus took the tube, surprised and touched at the gesture. “You didn’t need to do this.”

Sinclair shrugged. “It’s nothing much.”

Marcus uncorked the tube, held his hand underneath as he tipped it. A metal object dropped into his hand and he examined it. It was a tiny model of the Go-Sci ring, and when he pushed it with his finger it rotated.

“Fuck, that’s awesome!” he said, awed at both his friend’s skill and his generosity.

“I was just messing about. Glad you like it.”

“I do. Thanks.” Marcus held out his hand and Sinclair shook it. “You’re going to be a great engineer.”

“I have to go in the Guard; it’s what my dad wants,” he said with a heavy sigh.

“Only until you’re eighteen, and then you can take up that apprenticeship you’ve been offered.”

“Hmm, yeah. Okay. Let’s go and find someone daft enough to fancy you.” He grinned at Marcus and they jostled each other as they left the quarters, ignoring Sinclair senior as he shouted after them to behave or else.

\---

Abby Walters stood impatiently while her father ran through a long list of all the things she wasn’t allowed to do at the Unity Day gathering that night.

“I know, dad,” she said.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me, Abigail,” Jacob Walters said. “You might be fourteen but you’re not too old to be put over my knee.”

“You’ve never punished me in all my life!” she said.

“I’m starting to think that was a mistake, and there’s a first time for everything.”

“Yeah, right,” she said, confident that her beloved father was all talk and no action. He was trying to threaten her into behaving, but there was no need.

“I mean it, Abigail. You don’t know what boys can be like.”

“There’s no need to worry, dad. There are no boys on this whole ship that interest me, and I’m never drinking alcohol. Did you know it impairs cognitive function and leads to short and long-term memory loss?”

She’d learned this today from the textbook she was avidly reading so she could impress her science teacher, who held the key to getting into the pre-med program she wanted to start next year. You weren’t supposed to start the program until you’d finished school at sixteen, but Abby felt she was ready, was eager to start. Her teacher was also a young man with a shock of black, curly hair and blue eyes she could drown in, but that wasn’t the main reason she wanted to impress him.

Her father put his hands on his hips and looked at her. “Fine, but I have spies everywhere. Just remember that.”

“I will, dad. I love you.” She stood on her tiptoes so she could kiss his stubbly cheek.

“Your mom wants to see you before you go. She’s in the snug.”

“Okay.” Abby went into the room that functioned as their entertainment room. It had a large TV and a music centre and a whole shelf of books, including her mother’s medical textbooks which she was slowly working her way through. Ruth Walters was sitting at her desk, her face obscured by her long golden-brown hair that was identical to Abby’s apart from the streaks of grey that had started to thread it.

“Dad said you wanted to see me, mom,” she said, and her mom turned.

“Oh, yes.” She stood and looked at Abby. “Don’t you look lovely!”

“Thanks.” Abby twirled so that her simple blue dress flared out above her knees.

“Has your dad talked to you?”

“Yeah. Honestly, mom, it’s only a party. The entire Ark is going to be there practically. I don’t know what he thinks is going to happen!”

Ruth put her hand out, stroked Abby’s cheek. “You’re growing up. It scares him.”

“I’m still his little girl!”

Her mom smiled sadly. “For now.” She looked at Abby as though she was something new and unknown, like one of her cultures beneath the microscope that Abby liked to watch wiggling around. “I have something for you.”

“Oh, what?”

Ruth handed her a small square case that was hard but covered in some kind of material that was frayed and torn at the edges. “My mom gave this to me at my first Unity Day, and now I’m giving it to you.”

Abby opened the case. Inside was a necklace, a silver chain with a heart on the end. The heart was fat and had a clasp. She pulled it apart, but there was nothing inside, just two tiny empty spaces.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, looking up at her mom.

“I had a lock of hair from me and your dad in there for a long time. One day you’ll do the same.”

The story brought tears to Abby’s eyes. “Gosh, mom. That’s so nice, but you should keep it.” She took the chain from the box, offered it to her mom.

“No. I have you now. I don’t need memories of me and your dad. This is for you. I want you to have it.”

“Thank you.” Abby hugged her mom, kissed her soft cheek that smelled of herbs and agar like it always did. If she did pursue a career in medicine, she expected she’d never be able to prepare a culture without thinking of her mom. Would she smell like this one day too?

“You’re older than your years, Abby, darling. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to grow up, will you?”

“I only want to be like you,” she said, causing tears to form in her mom’s eyes. Her mom rarely cried, was stoic usually, hardened by all the things she’d seen and done in her career on the Ark, so it shocked Abby, and she felt the tears well herself.

“You’re a good girl,” whispered Ruth as she hugged her again.

“Anyone would think I was about to be floated!” said Abby, trying to make light of the atmosphere which had grown heavy for some reason. She was only going to a dance, not leaving them forever!

“Don’t say things like that!” said Ruth.

“I’m just going to go and dance with my friends and have a good time.”

“I know, and you’re going to have a wonderful time.” Ruth kissed her again, and then returned to her desk. “I won’t wait up, but your dad probably will.”

“I won’t be late!” said Abby, and then she went back to the living room where her father was standing in the same position she’d left him.

“Did you have a good chat with your mom?” said Jacob.

“Yes. She gave me this.” Abby showed him the necklace.

“Are you going to wear it tonight?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to lose it.”

“You won’t. Give it to me.” Jacob held out his hand and Abby gave him the necklace. “Turn around.”

She turned her back on her father, and he put his arms in front of her, positioned the necklace. Abby held up her long hair so he could fasten it at the back. She turned to face him when he’d finished.

“My beautiful girl,” he said, and he kissed her cheek. “Have a wonderful time.”

“I will. Don’t worry about me, dad.” She put her arms around him, hugged him tight, and then left, practically skipping to the door she was so eager to go and have her first night out without her parents.

She hadn’t made any definite plans with the girls in her class, but Aurora who was a couple of years older had said she would be there, and if she wasn’t then Abby was quite prepared to hang out by herself. There’d be someone to talk to she was sure, and if not then she’d just enjoy the ceremony and the music and revel in her freedom.

\---

Marcus stood at the back of the room, his hands behind his back, his eyes roaming the people gathering. The ceremony was only a few minutes away, and the room was getting crowded. Sinclair had found Kira, but he was a good friend, and kept by Marcus’s side, his arm around the girl.

“Seen anything you like, yet?” he said.

“No,” said Marcus. He didn’t really know what he was looking for; he only knew that none of the girls in his class were it, so he was forced to look further afield. It was why occasions like this were important as there were so few chances to mix with young people from other Ark stations.

“This might be your chance,” said Sinclair, nudging Marcus.

A dark-haired girl was sashaying towards them, her slim hips swaying, her shoulder-length hair bouncing, along with other parts of her anatomy. Marcus felt a tightening in his jeans at the sight of her athletic breasts, but that was nothing new. He had to contend on a daily basis with the wilful mind his penis seemed to possess.

“Marcus,” she said, looking sideways at him.

“Hello, Aurora,” he replied.

“You’re looking sexy today.”

“Thank you.” He didn’t want to return the compliment because it would only encourage her, and as attractive as she was, she had a reputation, and it wasn’t one he was keen to associate himself with. He wanted to be somebody on this stupid Ark one day, and reputations mattered. If he got lucky tonight, it wouldn’t be with someone who would brag about it to the entire Ark.

She looked at him coyly. “Are you going to dance with me later?”

“I’m waiting for the ceremony,” he said pompously. “It’s not appropriate to talk about dancing right now.”

She pulled a face at him, stuck out a small pink tongue, then moved on. Marcus let out a sigh of relief.

“You could have her easily,” said Sinclair. “She’s thirsty for you.”

Marcus grimaced. “She’s not the one for me.”

“You’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t like any of the girls here.”

“There’s someone,” said Marcus. “I just haven’t met her yet.”

Sinclair sighed, then turned to Kira, pulling her into an embrace, and Marcus tried not to look at his hand as it grasped her breast, or her hand as it touched his ass, pressed it towards her. The constriction in his pants grew tighter. He puffed out a breath, looked around the room again, thought about how he had to water the Eden Tree on Sunday, and how humiliating that job was. He soon regained his equilibrium.

\---

Abby’s excitement grew as she walked along the hallway towards the main meeting space on Alpha station. She was with a throng of other people, most of them together, chattering happily. There were still a few moments before the main ceremony, but she was later than she’d wanted to be. She hoped there was a good space from which she could watch the proceedings.

She entered the room along with a boy from her class who greeted her but didn’t seem interested in spending any time with her. Never mind. She only wanted to watch the ceremony, see the flags of the other stations, listen to the precious words that symbolised their union. People were standing close together, forming a wall through which she couldn’t see, but she was small and managed to push through them until she found a space beside a pillar. She stood with her back to it, her arms folded as she surveyed the space. 

She saw Aurora Blake across the room, talking to a boy with blonde hair. She watched her, hoping to catch her eye, but she was engrossed in her conversation with him. Abby scanned the room, looking for anyone from her class, or maybe Mr Morgan, her teacher. Her stomach did a flip when she thought about him. He called her his protégé and spent time after class with her, going through the structure of the skeleton, showing her how muscles and tendons worked, what was beneath the soft skin of everyone. Sometimes Abby looked at the people in her class and imagined them without their clothes and their skin, just a collection of muscle and sinew, a fleshy beating heart, a bloody vascular system.

Mr Morgan didn’t have a wife or a girlfriend. He only ever seemed to be with Mr Newman the history teacher, who had blonde hair and a slim refined nose that he stuck in the air as though he was better than everyone else. She didn’t know why Mr Morgan hung around with someone like that.

She settled back against the wall. Across the room she could see a gaggle of children huddled in a doorway. They were wearing the uniforms of their stations, and the ones at the front were fiddling with flags, folding and unfolding them, practising dipping them. Abby had been one of those children a few years ago, representing Alpha station. She knew the excitement and the nerves the children were feeling, was excited for them. The ceremony was about to start.

\---

A few people from his class spotted Marcus and came over to wish him a happy birthday. It pleased him, made him feel popular, which wasn’t something he felt often. He was acutely aware of his status on Tesla Station, part of an exclusive club of one parent families. He was lucky in one respect that his father had died of natural causes, hadn’t been floated like the parents of some of the people in the club with him. He wasn’t as much of an outcast as they were. He didn’t understand why a person could be tainted by something that had nothing to do with them, but it’s how it was. Societal structures and pressures. He’d been learning about them in political science. There was a need to conform, which he understood, but couldn’t do, through no fault of his own.

He could tell the ceremony was about to start, because the younger children who were going to bear the flags and tell the story were gathered in the hallway near him, chattering excitedly. They were the children of the elites from each station, privileged young people whose lives were already mapped out. They would follow mommy or daddy into their profession, be guaranteed a position, perpetuate the cycle. They wouldn’t have to graft like he did, start at the bottom of the ladder and work their way up. He didn’t resent them, or even envy them. It was more satisfying to work for what you had.

He looked past the children, across the room to the entrance. His eyes alighted on a girl leaning against one of the pillars. She had long, golden-brown hair that hung in soft waves past her shoulders, and dark eyes that were scanning the room like he had been. Her arms were folded across her chest and she had a sarcastic smile on her face as though she was waiting to be entertained. Something about her said challenge me, surprise me. A rush of something indefinable flooded Marcus’s body from head to toe. He nudged Sinclair.

“Who’s that?” he said, nodding in the girl’s direction.

Sinclair squinted as he looked. “I don’t know.” He nudged Kira in turn. “Do you know who that girl with the long hair is, standing against that pillar?”

Kira looked, nodded. “I think that’s Abby Walters. She’s from Alpha Station.”

“Abby Walters from Alpha Station,” said Sinclair, as though Marcus wasn’t standing right next to them both and couldn’t hear everything Kira had said.

He refrained from a sarcastic reply. “Abby,” he said, looking again at her. As he did, she lifted her head, turned as though she felt his gaze. Her eyes locked with his, and Marcus’s pulse raced. He couldn’t look away, and after a moment she raised both her eyebrows, curled her lip into a half sneer, then turned away. Something loosened in Marcus’s stomach, made him feel liquid, as though his body was made of nothing more than ice water, and any moment now he was going to melt away into nothing.

\---

Abby stared at the children, who were lined up now and ready to come out into the centre of the room which was cleared and ringed by hundreds of eager Arkers. She’d just caught a boy staring at her, his lips parted as though he was astonished to see a creature like her here. Did he think she didn’t belong, was too young to be out with the grown-ups like him? He looked all of a couple of years older. Idiot boy!

Her face grew warm unexpectedly, and she got the feeling he was still looking at her. She turned back to where he’d been standing, but the crowd had pressed in closer and she couldn’t see if he was still there.

The Chancellor walked out ahead of the children and addressed the crowd, welcoming them to Unity Day and introducing the flag bearers and the stations they represented. A nervous young girl stepped forward to tell the story of the union of the Ark’s twelve stations and Abby smiled as she remembered the year she’d been a part of this. She hadn’t been chosen to do the reading, which had been upsetting at first, but she’d got over it when her father had told her that being chosen at all was an honour and a privilege. There were lots of other children on the Ark who would never have the things Abby enjoyed.

She clapped and smiled when the ceremony was over, and the crowd loosened as the centre space was filled. Music came over the loudspeaker system and she stayed where she was while she took stock of everything that was happening. A few minutes later two girls arrived arm in arm, Aurora and a blonde girl from Abby’s class called Diana Sydney. Abby wasn’t hugely fond of Diana, who had a mean streak, but she loved Aurora who never called Abby a brainbox or teacher’s pet and who showed her makeup techniques in exchange for homework.

“Hi, Abby!” said Aurora, smiling broadly. She pulled Abby into a hug. “I love your eye makeup. You got that smoky look going well.”

“Thank you,” said Abby, a ripple of pleasure running through her at the compliment.

“Your parents not here?” sniffed Diana.

“No, they’re at home.”

“They let you out by yourself?” said Diana, her voice going up at the end to show her surprise, as though Abby was a toddler who should be kept on a tight leash at all times.

“No, I climbed out of my bedroom window,” said Abby sarcastically, and Diana frowned, no doubt trying to work out how Abby could climb out of a window on a spaceship.

“Are you having a lovely time, Abby?” said Aurora, ever the calming influence.

“I am. I enjoyed the ceremony.”

“The kids are so cute. I love them! I’d have ten if I could!”

“Yeah,” said Abby, who couldn’t see herself with a child, even when she was really old, like thirty. Her career was going to be her baby.

Diana had been scanning the room while Abby and Aurora were talking, and she nudged Aurora. “Look who’s there,” she said, pointing at a group of young men standing on the far side of the room.

Abby looked across. One of them was the boy who’d stared at her earlier. He was doing it again now. Abby stared back, to let him know she’d seen him, and it didn’t bother her that he thought she was too young or too odd.

“I talked to him earlier,” said Aurora.

“I am NOT surprised!” said Diana with an exaggerated roll of her eyes and shrug of her shoulders.

“Hmm,” said Aurora. “I don’t think he likes girls.”

“What do you mean?” said Abby, interested in Aurora’s impression of the boy who stared.

“I mean, he’s one of those who likes boys.”

“There are boys who like boys?” said Abby, astonished, blushing at Diana’s snigger, which made her feel naïve, which she clearly was.

“Yes, and girls who like girls.”

“Oh,” said Abby, and she’d never felt as young and foolish as she did at that moment. She’d had a sheltered upbringing she realised. She’d read extensively but all the textbooks were about anatomy and how the body works. She understood the reproductive system and the mechanics of sex in order to procreate, but nothing had really told her about love, or desire or any of the emotional stuff. She had her feelings for Mr Morgan, who sometimes made butterflies flap their wings in her stomach when he looked at her, and that was as far as it had gone.

“How do you know he likes boys?” she said, looking the boy in question up and down to see if there was anything that stood out about him. He had nice hair, carefully styled into some kind of quiff like Elvis Presley, a singer her mom liked who was from the old days back on Earth. His leather jacket was scuffed and hung from his frame, but it suited him, gave him a confident air.

“I know, because he’s not interested in me,” said Aurora with a sigh. “I keep trying, but nothing.”

“Maybe you’re not his type,” said Abby.

“Abby, sweetheart. I’m everyone’s type.” Aurora pulled down her dress and pushed up her bra so that her breasts were squeezed together and almost falling out of the dress. She winked at Abby. “These are your best assets, Abby. All the boys want to play with them, and you’re going to have nice ones I can tell.”

Abby crossed her arms in front of her chest, embarrassed because both Aurora and Diana were looking at her nascent breasts which had seen a growth spurt recently and caused her some consternation because she hoped they wouldn’t grow too big and she’d end up bent over with the weight of them like Mrs Rodwell who served them dinner in the Mess and made Abby wonder how she didn’t end up covered in soup when she ladled it out of the trays.

“Let’s go and say hello anyway,” said Diana, pulling Aurora along.

“You’re wasting your time,” said Aurora, but she followed, grasping Abby’s hand and pulling her with them so they were a train of young women from tallest to smallest, heading towards the group of young men.

“Hello, boys,” said Diana, dropping Aurora’s hand as she approached.

The boys turned, looked at the three girls. There was a woman with them as well, a red-headed girl clinging to a tall boy with short, black curly hair. She smiled shyly at Abby. Abby smiled back. The boy with the quiff and the leather jacket and the stare was standing next to curly, and next to him were two men with dark skin and black hair, one tall, one short and squat.

“Hi, Diana,” said the tall black guy.

“Haven’t seen you in a while, David,” she replied.

“I’m working in the guard now. Who’s your friend?” he said, looking at Abby.

“Oh, that’s Abby,” said Diana dismissively.

Abby didn’t like being dismissed as if she was nothing, so she decided to be bold. “I’m Abby Walters,” she said, holding out her hand.

David glanced at the other boys, then took it, giving it a brief shake. “David Miller.”

“Charles Pike,” said the short, squat guy. He shook Abby’s hand as well.

The boy who stared moved forward, took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it. “Marcus Kane,” he said, ignoring the sniggers of his friends.

Abby was so taken aback she didn’t move, and he held her hand and looked into her eyes with his dark ones, and she felt a laugh bubble up inside her because of the sheer unexpectedness of the situation, and his earnest gaze. She swallowed it down, because she wasn’t cruel like Diana, and would never humiliate him publicly. She knew all too well what that felt like.

“Pleased to meet you,” she said, and then she pulled her hand from his and looked at the guy with the curly hair.

“I’m Jacapo Sinclair and this is Kira.”

Abby didn’t offer him her hand because she was barely listening, still thinking about Marcus Kane and his extraordinary gesture. He must have thought it would be charming. It was, she supposed, in its own dorky way. Was he like that because he liked boys and that’s how those kinds of boys behaved? She had no idea, but she was intrigued now, interested to find out more about him, work out who he was for herself.


	2. Shooting Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the Unity Day dance, Marcus and Abby start getting to know each other.

Marcus stood next to Sinclair while he was introducing himself and Kira to Abby. He was shaking with adrenaline after what he’d just done. He’d watched her offer her hand for Miller to shake and could have killed him when he’d looked down the line at them as if to say what a dork. He didn’t think Abby had noticed, and he’d thought it was cute the way she’d introduced herself. Very formal, very proper. He could relate to that. Such a gesture deserved something formal and proper in return, and he’d taken her hand and kissed it almost without thinking. It was what gentlemen did to ladies, and Marcus considered himself a gentleman. It also went down very well with the women in movies, leaving them with fluttering hearts and shy smiles. He hoped he’d had that effect on Abby. His own heart was fluttering, but in a manly way of course.

He risked a glance at her and noticed she hadn’t offered her hand to Sinclair. She seemed distracted. She must be thinking about what he’d done. He smiled.

“Why don’t we get a drink?” said Aurora, who’d been watching him again. He wished she’d get the hint and leave him alone.

“Oh, yes!” said Diana, “and then we can dance. Would you like to dance, Marcus?” She sidled up to him, linked her arm through his. Marcus wanted to shrug her off but remembered he was a gentleman, so he stood awkwardly while she tried to tug him towards the bar.

“I don’t dance,” he said.

“Nonsense!” she said. “Everyone dances.”

She pulled him harder and he stumbled into step behind her. He glanced back at Abby to see if she was watching, but she was talking to Kira who had finally unlinked from Sinclair and was now arm in arm with Abby.

They got drinks and Diana tried to pull Marcus towards the dancefloor, but he resisted. She finally gave up and grabbed Miller instead, who was more willing. Aurora was dancing with Charles, and Abby and Kira were still talking. Marcus pulled Sinclair closer to him.

“Ask your girlfriend to dance, will you?”

“Why?” said Sinclair.

“Because I want to watch you glide around the floor.” Marcus rolled his eyes. “Because I want to talk to Abby, you dumbass.”

“Oh. Oh! Yes. Yes of course.” Sinclair grinned at Marcus. “Found the one, have you?”

“I’ll never know if I don’t get chance to talk to her. The others will be back soon, and that Diana won’t leave me alone.”

“I don’t know how you do it. You have two gorgeous women all over you and now you’re after a third.”

“Just get on the dancefloor and leave me to it,” Marcus growled.

He watched as Sinclair went over to Kira, heard him apologise to Abby and then take Kira to the dancefloor. Abby was standing a few metres away from Marcus, watching the other couples dancing. It was now or never. Marcus took a deep breath, walked towards her.

“Would you like another drink?” he said.

Abby looked into her cup. “I could have another one.”

“I’ll get it.” Marcus took her cup, got them both a refill of fruit punch.

“Thank you,” said Abby as he handed her the drink. She took a sip. “This is lovely.”

“Yes, it’s nice. Sometimes they spike it later,” he said, leaning in conspiratorially and wiggling his eyebrows at her.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, with moonshine.”

“Oh, I see. I don’t drink alcohol.”

“No?” said Marcus with vague disappointment.

“No. It’s a depressant, you know. It has neurocognitive effects that can lead to depression, especially if you’re susceptible to that.”

She looked at him all serious and Marcus was flummoxed for a moment. “I didn’t know that,” he said.

“I’m going to be a doctor,” she said, “so I study these things.”

“You’re studying to be a doctor now?”

“No, when I leave school. That’s what I want to do, like my mom.”

“I see. I do tend to the melancholic, so perhaps it’s best this is only fruit juice.” He smiled at her, making a joke, but she took him seriously. She laid her hand on his arm, causing a ripple of heat to shoot up his arm towards his heart, which thumped.

“Do you get depressed?”

“Well, sometimes, I guess. Don’t we all, stuck up here?”

“I don’t know. I kind of like it.”

“What do you like about it?”

Abby shrugged. “There’s a lot to learn, and I’m looking forward to my future. My mom says there’s a lot of people to look after and not enough medical staff, so I figure that’s where I can help people the most.”

“You like to help people?”

“Yes, if I can.”

“I’m the same,” he said, which was stretching the truth considerably, not that he wouldn’t help people if he had to, but they weren’t his first thought when he got up every day. “I’m joining the Guards soon. I just have a semester of school to finish and then I’ll be moving into dorms on Prison Station.”

“Oh, that’s cool!”

“Yeah. I’ll get a uniform and I’ll probably have to get my hair cut shorter.” He ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to flop down at the front. He’d seen James Dean do this in movies and it always made the girls melt.

“You have nice hair. It would be a shame to cut it all off.”

Marcus was pleased with her comment. “Hopefully I won’t have to cut it all off, just shorter. I like it neat anyway.”

“I would die if I had to cut my hair,” she said, running her fingers through her waves as he had done.

“That really would be a shame. It’s beautiful.”

She smiled shyly. “Thanks.”

Marcus looked her over, took in her large brown eyes with their streaks of black eyeliner around them that was starting to smudge, her cheeks that were pillowy and soft. Her face was kind, warm, innocent. She had on a nice blue dress that didn’t show anything off like Aurora’s did but still accentuated her slim waist and her breasts, and she was short, really short, probably a foot shorter than him. She was a nice girl, he could tell from looking at her, not just from her words. He decided to take his chance.

“Would you like to dance?” he said, his pulse racing.

“I thought you didn’t dance. You said that to Diana.”

“I just didn’t want to dance with her.”

“Oh.” Abby looked up, her eyes wide and bright. “But you want to dance with me?”

“If you want to dance with me.”

She gripped her drink. He could almost see the thoughts that were whirling through her mind. He guessed that for some reason she didn’t get asked this often, if ever before.

“Yes, okay. That would be nice.”

“Cool.” Marcus took her drink and put it on the table behind them with his. He held out his hand to her and she grasped it. Her hand was small and warm, her fingers long for such a small person. He led her to the dancefloor, looked around to see what the others were doing. The truth was he hadn’t danced much before either, certainly not in a formal way with a girl.

Most of the men seemed to have one hand round the girl’s waist and the other held in the air. He did the same, keeping a distance between them in case certain parts of his body chose the wrong moment to wake up and get excited. He didn’t want that humiliation, not with Abby.

“You’ll make a good surgeon with these fingers,” he said, looking at the hand he was holding in the air.

“That’s what my mom says.”

“I think she’s right.”

“Yeah.” She looked up at him and smiled happily. Marcus’s heart did that thumping thing again. Her hand snaked tentatively around his waist and settled in the small of his back just above his ass, which he thought was probably the highest she could reach and not a deliberate act on her part. He felt the weight of it even through the leather of his jacket, as though all the elements in the universe had condensed and were pressing against his back.

He didn’t know how to dance but that didn’t seem to matter. They rocked mostly, taking small steps. Marcus tried not to watch his feet too much, although he was conscious of not stepping on Abby’s toes. He could be clumsy, and he had size eleven feet and was wearing heavy leather combat boots. She was wearing chunky black heels and if he stood on her tiny feet he thought he would crush her.

He didn’t know what else to say to her, and she didn’t speak to him, so they just stayed as they were through the next two songs. Even though he was enjoying being with her it was almost a relief when Sinclair bounded up to them and shoved Marcus in the back.

“We’re going to sneak into the observation room; are you coming?”

Marcus looked at Abby. “Do you want to do that?”

“I don’t know what the observation room is.”

“Then come with me and you’ll find out.”

She stopped dancing, stood looking at him, the cogs in her big brain whirring again. “Okay. Cool.”

“Cool,” said Marcus. He dropped her hand and they went back to the table, picking up their drinks.

She went ahead of him, talking to Kira again. She seemed to have no problem talking to her even though they’d just met. It must be a girl thing, the ability to chat about anything and everything at the drop of a hat. Marcus and Sinclair only spoke to each other if they had something important to say. As he had that thought, Sinclair got into step next to him.

“Well?” he whispered.

“Well what?” said Marcus even though he knew what his friend was asking.

“What’s she like?”

“She’s interesting.”

Sinclair looked at him as though he’d said she was from another planet. “Interesting? What the hell does that mean?”

“It means she’s interesting. She’s clever and nice.”

Sinclair curled his lip contemptuously. “That doesn’t sound promising.”

“Not everything is about sex you know,” said Marcus primly.

“Isn’t it? All you’ve talked about for weeks is getting lucky tonight.”

“There are different ways to be lucky.”

“Yeah right.” Sinclair looked mockingly at Marcus.

“Shut up.” Marcus jostled with him as they walked along the hallway. Sinclair could mock all he wanted, but Marcus didn’t think he’d be getting lucky with Abby tonight, or perhaps anytime soon, and surprisingly, he found he was okay with that.

\---

As she walked along the hallway in an unfamiliar part of the Ark, Abby chatted to Kira about a movie they’d both watched on the television the other night. The girl was easy to talk to even though she was a couple of years older than Abby. The conversation was interesting, but Abby’s thoughts kept drifting to Marcus. She was aware of him just a few steps behind her; he was talking quietly to Sinclair and she wondered if he was talking about her, and if so, what he was saying.

Their dance had been sweet; the first she’d had with a boy, and Marcus had been respectful, keeping her close but not too close. He hadn’t tried to touch her ass or any part of her body like she’d seen some of the other boys do as they danced with their partners. Aurora would say it was because he only liked boys, a concept that was still new to Abby, but Abby didn’t think that was the case. He’d wanted to dance with her, her above the far more attractive and experienced Diana, and his hand had been shaking when he’d first grasped hers. She thought he liked girls, and one girl in particular. Her. The thought made her grow warm, gave her a funny feeling in her stomach.

It was nice to feel chosen, and by someone like Marcus Kane who was older and good-looking and could have his pick of the girls here. Aurora had tried to get him, and Diana wanted him, but it was Abby he was interested in. This was why she was heading towards the previously unheard-of observation room, about to do something that was against the Ark’s rules. Abby wasn’t a rule breaker, mainly because she was an honest person who was terrible at lying, but also because the consequences for breaking rules on the Ark were harsh, even for small things like sneaking into a room you weren’t allowed to be in. She wanted to spend more time with Marcus, and the others, and if she was really honest with herself, she wanted some excitement.

The observation room was at the end of a long corridor. There was a code to enter it, but David Miller’s father was in the Guard and David knew the code. He punched it in, and Abby got a thrill of anticipation as the door slid open and they all filed inside. She gasped as she entered the room which was shaped in a semi-circle and had huge windows along the curved edge. The view was amazing, the Earth huge and blue with swirling white clouds and green oceans. The sky was dark for now, the stars bright and multi-coloured.

She went up to one of the windows, put her hand against the toughened glass. The grey metal structure of the Ark was above and around her, but she realised as she looked down that there was nothing beneath. They were out on a limb of the Ark, thrust into space. She felt lightheaded for a moment, thinking about how little was between her and the oblivion of space. They were lucky to live up here, she thought, to have this view, but it had been interesting to hear Marcus say he felt stuck here. It must seem a different place to him. She sensed movement beside her, looked around and he was there.

“Hi,” he said, as though they were meeting again instead of having been no more than five metres apart for fewer than five minutes.

“Hi,” she replied.

“It’s an amazing view, isn’t it?” He moved closer to her so that their bodies were only millimetres apart.

“Yes, it’s so beautiful. Have you been in here before?”

“Yes. It’s a tradition now. This is my third year.”

“I didn’t even know it existed!”

“This is the only station to have an observation room, because it was primarily a scientific station and they used this to study the stars and the Earth from space. The Earth had multiple layers of atmosphere as I’m sure you know, and it filtered the light from the stars and the other planets. They put the Hubble space telescope in orbit to counteract that, but Alpha Station acted as a general observatory and science laboratory.”

Abby was pleasantly surprised at how much Marcus knew.

“That’s Mars there, the red planet,” he said, leaning towards her as he pointed out the blurry shape. She knew all of this, of course, well about the planet at least, but his body was warm as it touched hers, and her heart started to beat faster. She could hear each breath he took, louder than before, warm against her face.

“You’re very knowledgeable about the Earth,” she said.

“Earth History is my favourite subject, even more than poli-sci. I like to think about the Earth, about what life is like down there now. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if there hadn’t been the apocalypse. What would the last hundred years have been like?”

Abby watched him as he spoke. He was animated, his deep brown eyes sparkling, his brow furrowing as he outlined his more complex thoughts. He was so intelligent. So thoughtful.

“Anyway, I’d love to go to Earth one day,” he said.

“That’s one thing we’ll never do,” replied Abby.

Marcus sighed. “I know.”

“If we could go to Earth, I would definitely go with you,” she said, feeling guilty for making him sad when he’d been so lively a moment ago. She didn’t want to make him melancholic, which she now knew he was prone to.

“Would you?” he said.

“Yes.” Abby nodded and smiled at him.

“That would be great.”

She felt his arm brush against her back, and then his hand touched her shoulder tentatively. She held her breath, didn’t dare move in case he thought she didn’t want him to touch her like that. He must have been emboldened, because he gripped her shoulder more tightly. She should put her arm around him too, but she couldn’t do it; it felt too bold, like a big deal. What if he was just being nice?

“Oh, there’s a shooting star!” he said, pointing at the sky.

“Did you make a wish?”

“I did.” He smiled down at her and Abby’s stomach did a somersault at the warmth that was in his eyes as he gazed at her.

“What was it?” she whispered.

He bent his head, put his lips so close to her ear his breath tickled. “If I tell you, it won’t come true, and I want it to come true.”

Abby grew even warmer. She wondered if her face was bright red because it felt like it was burning hotter than the sun. She put her arm around his back, curled her fingers into the soft leather of his jacket. She felt so bold, so daring, out of control. What did it mean? What was she saying to him by doing this? What did he think she was saying? She didn’t know the answer to any of her questions, she only knew that it felt good, and that she liked it and so did he because he squeezed her tighter. They stood together quietly, watching the sky.

\---

Marcus stood with his arm around Abby. He was pretending to look out of the window at the stars but all he was really doing was enjoying the feel of her arm around his waist, her small hand gripping his jacket. He wasn’t sure what was happening here, but it felt so good. Just being near her was lighting a fire in him, and he found he wanted to impress her, not with his bravado like he did with other girls, but with his knowledge and his intelligence. He’d never told anyone he wanted to go to Earth before, not even Sinclair, because it was a pipe dream and stupid, but it had just slipped out easily with Abby. He knew she wouldn’t mock him, would understand even if it wasn’t a dream she shared.

More people entered the room, and someone switched off the lights like they always did. They were plunged into a twilight of reflected blue light from the Earth. He looked around; people had paired up, were kissing, some of them in the darkest corners probably doing things he’d hoped he might get a chance to do tonight. Who was he kidding really? He could have been doing those things long ago like Sinclair said. Aurora might have a reputation he wanted to avoid, but other girls didn’t, and plenty of them had shown interest in him recently. He could have lost his virginity ten times over by now. Something had held him back, and it wasn’t nerves, well not much. He was eager to find out what it was like to be with a girl in that way, to be a proper man, but when it had come down to it, he hadn’t found anyone he really wanted to do it with.

“Why have the lights gone out?” said Abby, looking around. “Oh.” He could feel her tense beneath his arm.

“Don’t worry about them,” he said. “Would you rather go back and dance some more?”

“Yes!” she said, relief flooding her face.

“Okay. Let’s do that.” He took her hand and she entwined her fingers through his. He walked back to the main party with a light heart.

They resumed their previous positions on the dancefloor, only this time he held her closer. Her arm was more confident around him, firmer. As the slower songs came on, it seemed natural that she should lay her head against his chest. He looked down at her, his lips brushing her soft hair. She smelled like how the Earth beneath him looked on a sunny day, fresh and warm and full of possibility. He shaped his lips into a kiss, deposited it softly on her head. He wasn’t sure if she would be able to feel it, but she sighed, held him tighter.

“How old are you, Abby?” he said softly, addressing his words to the top of her head.

She didn’t answer at first, and then she lifted her head to gaze into his eyes. “I’ll be fifteen in six months.”

Fourteen then. Younger than he’d thought from the way she spoke, but then there was an innocence about her, not that all fourteen-year-olds were innocent, or all sixteen-year-olds experienced. Her friend, Diana, was fourteen going on forty, and Marcus liked to think he was mature, but he had barely any more experience than Abby.

“I’m sorry I don’t want to do the things those people were doing in the observation room,” she said, tears pricking her eyes when she looked at him.

Marcus thought his heart would burst. It was the strangest feeling, pleasurable and painful at the same time. “Don’t be sorry. You should never be sorry for being true to yourself.”

“You’ve been really nice to me,” she said, suddenly moving away from him. “Thank you for being kind.”

“What are you talking about?” said Marcus. “I haven’t been...”

She cut him off. “No, you have. I’ve really had a lovely time, but I should go now.” She started to walk towards the door and Marcus followed her.

“Abby!” he said, but she was out of the door and halfway down the hallway. Marcus was in a spin, not sure what had just happened. He managed to catch up with her. “Stop a minute. Please.”

She walked on a few more steps then stopped, turned to face him. Tears had messed up her eye makeup, leaving dark streaks on her cheeks. “It’s okay. You should get back to your friends. I have to be home soon anyway.”

“I don’t want to go back to my friends. I want to be with you.”

She shook her head. “I’m too young for you. I can’t be... what you want.”

“Hey now, you can’t know what I want. Hell, I don’t even know what I want!” He laughed, and she gave a sad half smile. God, she was going to be the death of him he could tell. “Listen. I think you’re pretty amazing. You’re smart and funny and kinda cute. I want to get to know you.”

“Do you?” She looked shocked at his words.

“Yes, and as for the rest, you won’t ever have to do anything you don’t want to do, okay? And neither will I, so don’t think you can bat those long eyelashes and I’ll be putty in your hands.” He grinned, and her smile broadened.

“You’re pretty amazing too,” she said softly.

“I know,” he said, and she laughed.

“I really did have a wonderful time.”

“So did I.” He wiped the tears and the streaks of makeup from her cheeks with his thumbs. “Can I see you again?”

She nodded. “Okay. I’d like that.”

“Cool. When? There isn’t another dance for months.” He looked at her sadly, his bottom lip set in a pout.

“I guess you’ll have to find a way,” she said with that challenging look she’d had when he’d first spotted her watching the pageant.

“I guess I will.” He leaned across, pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, lingering there for just a second, before stepping back. “May we meet again,” he said.

Her smile was confident now. “We will.”

\---

Abby floated back to her quarters on a cloud, thinking about Marcus and his kind heart, and his warm brown eyes, and the softness of his lips as he’d kissed her. She was smiling as she entered the apartment. Her mom and dad were still up, and her dad rose to greet her.

“You look like you had a good time,” he said, moving to kiss her cheek. She changed direction so he would hit the other side of her face, and not the one where Marcus’s kiss still lingered.

“I did. It was wonderful.”

“Who was there?”

“Oh, lots of people. Aurora and Diana, and I met some of their friends.” She moved towards her bedroom, but her father wasn’t finished with her yet.

“Did you do any dancing?”

Abby looked at him, and at her mom. She had to tell the truth in case he did have spies and they’d already told him about her dances with Marcus.

“I had quite a few dances, and there was one with a boy before you ask. He asked me, and I didn’t like to say no.”

Her father glanced at her mother, then back at Abby. “What boy was this?”

“He’s called Marcus. Marcus Kane. He’s just a friend,” she said, feeling her face redden and rueing that this happened to her, gave her away.

“Marcus Kane. Hmm, I don’t know a Kane. Do you know a Kane, Ruth?”

“They’re from Tesla Station. I treated the father for cancer about six, seven years ago. I couldn’t do anything for him, though.”

Abby was shocked to hear that Marcus’s father was dead. He hadn’t said anything. He must only have been nine or ten when it happened. Her heart swelled and went out to him. How awful must that have been? If she lost her beloved father she’d be devastated.

“Power station worker, eh?” said Jacob in a voice that told Abby exactly what he thought about that. “I expect the boy will end up doing the same.”

“He’s going to be in the Guard!” said Abby, unthinking. “He’ll be head of it one day.”

“I doubt that, Abigail,” said Jacob. “People don’t rise from his situation to be Head of the Guard. That’s a position second only to the Chancellor.”

“He has ambitions,” she said huffily, feeling a desperate need to defend Marcus in the face of her father’s disapproval.

“He might well do, but they won’t amount to anything. Best you steer clear of him. He won’t be any good for you.”

“I’m not marrying him! He’s just a friend, and I’m allowed friends.” She moved quickly towards her bedroom door before her parents could say anything else. “Night,” she said as she opened it and shut it behind her.

She jumped on her bed, lay fully clothed and looked out of the window at the stars which were bright in the dark sky. She touched her face, ran her fingers over the trace of his lips, conjured up the image of him leaning in and kissing her there. He’d smelled nice, warm like a spiced biscuit. The butterflies that usually only awoke for Mr Morgan came out and careened around her belly as though they were full of the sun’s warmth and playful in its glow. Marcus. Marcus Kane. She smiled, then turned over onto the side that didn’t contain the ghost of his kiss and tried to go to sleep.


	3. Where There's A Will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus finds a way to see Abby

Marcus was kept busy over the next couple of weeks with preparations for his final exams, the outcome of which would determine whether his provisional acceptance into the Guard would be formalised. Thoughts of Abby lay beneath everything like a warm blanket and at night when he finally had some time to himself he returned again and again to his memories of Unity Day and her warm smiles, her long fingers that gripped his, and the softness of her cheek when he’d kissed her. He was desperate to see her again but couldn’t figure out how he could engineer a trip to Alpha Station.

He'd tried to find a messaging address for her so they could at least talk to each other, but Kira, who knew someone who knew someone whose mother sometimes worked with Abby’s father, had informed him that she wasn’t allowed a messaging account on her datapad. Her father was strict it seemed, which only made Marcus more determined to see her.

A solution arrived by chance the following week when he was sitting in poli-sci trying to concentrate on the history of fascism but daydreaming instead of Abby. Sinclair nudged him and Marcus looked up from his doodle of a tree and frowned.

“What?”

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

Sinclair sighed at his stupidity. “There’s an opportunity to spend a week in Earth Monitoring shadowing one of the techs there.”

“Really?” Marcus became attentive suddenly, listened eagerly to his teacher outline the essay competition that would give the winner the chance to learn more about the Ark’s operations. Earth Monitoring was on the Go-Sci ring which was adjacent to Alpha Station which was where Abby lived. It also housed Ark Medical where he presumed her mother worked as she was a doctor. Abby was bound to hang around there. This could be perfect.

“I have to win this competition,” he said to Sinclair as they were sitting in his friend’s bedroom after class.

“It’s a tech job, though. You’re not exactly technically-minded.”

“I can work a datapad!”

“I think it’s more complicated than that, and you know you’ve got no head for computers. Let’s not forget the great power outage of 2122 and who caused that!”

“Anyone could have made that mistake,” said Marcus, embarrassed at being reminded of the time he’d been on work experience and nearly caused Ark meltdown.

“I don’t know how you confused those number sequences. The right one was taped to the monitor!”

“I was distracted momentarily; it had nothing to do with my computer skills.”

“Yes. We all know what you were distracted by. The whole Ark probably knows.”

Marcus shrugged, and grinned. “I have an eye for a pretty face.”

“It wasn’t her face you were checking out.”

“Shut up,” said Marcus, and he punched Sinclair’s arm playfully. They wrestled on the bed, play fighting each other, until Marcus fell with a thud onto the floor.

A second later the door flung open, narrowly missing Marcus’s head, and an angry Mr Sinclair stared down at him. “Keep the goddamn noise down or you’re gone!” he said, before slamming the door behind him.

Marcus looked up at Sinclair, and they both sniggered, but quietly, so that Sinclair’s father wouldn’t hear them and throw Marcus out or do something worse to Sinclair.

“Can’t wait to get out of here,” said Sinclair, sighing heavily.

“You should enter this competition, get a week away from here.”

“Nah. He’d never let me go.”

Marcus lay back on the floor, made a pillow for his head with his arms. “You’ll just have to help me win it then, as you’re so much better with computers than me.”

\---

Abby was eating lunch by herself in the Mess when Aurora came in with a box of equipment from Factory Station where she lived and worked. She balanced the box beneath one hand and waved at Abby as she headed towards the counter. A couple of minutes later she came across, took a seat next to Abby.

“Hey, Doc,” she said, a nickname she thankfully only used when they were alone, because Abby wouldn’t hear the last of it if Diana or any of her friends heard it.

“Hi, Aurora.”

“How’s things with you?” She broke off a piece of Abby’s biscuit and popped it into her mouth with a smile.

“They’re good, thanks. Mr Morgan gave me top marks on my mock exam in Medicine, so I’m feeling really positive about the real thing in a few weeks.”

“You like him, don’t you? Mr Morgan.”

Abby felt herself blush. God, she hoped she would grow out of this soon because it was embarrassing having your every thought and feeling visible on your face. “He’s a good teacher.”

Aurora smiled. “Yeah. I know.” She cleared her throat. “You know he likes boys, though, right?”

Abby wasn’t as surprised by Aurora’s comment as she would have been if she’d said this a few weeks ago. She’d thought about Mr Morgan a lot since the Unity Day dance, and his friendship with Mr Newman. Aurora was only confirming what she’d started to realise herself.

“Yeah. I figured,” she said.

“I was right about him. I wasn’t right about Marcus Kane, though.”

Abby’s heart started to beat faster at the mention of Marcus’s name. “No?” she said, as nonchalantly as she could, although her mouth was dry. She took a sip of water.

“No. He definitely likes girls.”

Suddenly Abby’s stomach dropped as a feeling of dread settled over her. What was Aurora about to tell her? Had she got Marcus after all? Had they done the things that Abby had told him she wouldn’t do? That was the only way Aurora could know for certain. Her face must have paled or something because Aurora put her hand on Abby’s arm.

“I’m talking about you, dummy,” she said, shaking her head and laughing.

“Wha... what do you mean?” said Abby when she could speak again.

“I mean, I watched him at Unity Day and all he was interested in was you.”

Abby didn’t answer, because she didn’t want to give the game away that she already knew this, that he’d as good as told her, that he’d kissed her. She wanted to keep it for herself, her secret, her treasure. Aurora had been in the observation room when they’d had their second dance, didn’t know how close he’d held her, hadn’t seen him kiss her head.

“You’re a doofus,” said Aurora. “Couldn’t you tell?”

“I don’t know,” said Abby, hating having to tell the lie. It was a white lie, really, because she hadn’t been able to tell, not at first anyway.

“Well, I know when a guy’s interested, and trust me, he’s interested. What are you going to do about it?”

Abby looked at Aurora. What could she say to that without telling a big fat lie? “I already know,” she said quietly.

Aurora leaned in closer to her. “You already know what you’re going to do about it?”

“No. I already know he’s interested.”

Aurora’s carefully manicured eyebrows shot up her face. “How?”

“He told me. He wants to see me again.” It was a relief to tell the truth, and to tell someone else now that it was out. She’d been bursting with the effort of keeping it all in.

“Oh, my God!” said Aurora. “You minx!”

“I didn’t do anything!” said Abby, alarmed that Aurora might think she’d encouraged Marcus in any kind of way.

“Oh, I know. I know that.” She sat back, folded her arms in front of her chest. “Well, well, Miss Abigail Walters. A dark horse you are!”

“Don’t tell anyone. I don’t know if I’ll even see him again yet.”

“I won’t say a word.” She shook her head again in amazement. “They do say it’s always the quiet ones.”

“What do you mean?” said Abby.

“Nothing, Doc.” Her face turned serious for a moment. “Don’t let him push you into anything, will you. I know what boys are like.”

“I won’t.” Abby contemplated Aurora, wanted to ask her something but didn’t dare, but Aurora was astute.

“Just ask me,” she said, unfolding her arms and shuffling closer to Abby so their conversation was completely private.

Abby took a deep breath. “What’s it like with a boy?”

“Sex you mean?”

Abby shrugged. “Any of that stuff.”

“It’s difficult to say, because we’re all different, and we all do it for different reasons.”

“Why do you do it?”

“That is the question, Doc. It makes me feel good, I guess. I don’t mean just my body, but about myself.” She frowned at Abby. “Does he want you to do it with him, Kane?”

“No! Oh, no. He’s not like that.”

Aurora gave her a sad half smile. “They’re all like that, Abby. It’s all they think about.”

“Not Marcus.”

Aurora looked at her and then nodded. “No, okay. Not Marcus.”

“I was just wondering.”

“Of course you were. It’s only natural.” She looked at the clock on the wall and sighed. “I’m going to have to go now, but I want you to promise me something, Doc, okay.”

“What?”

“Don’t do anything that you don’t want to do, and if there’s anything you want to know, you ask me. I’ll tell you everything when you’re ready.”

Abby blushed again. There were two Earth years between her and Aurora but light-years of life and experience. “Thanks,” she said.

Aurora pushed back her chair, then stood leaning on the table. “And don’t listen to Diana or anything she says about the subject. She’s a prick tease.”

“What’s that?”

“Someone who offers what she’s not prepared to give. That’s not fair on the guys. Okay, I gotta split. See you next time.”

Abby sat at the table a long time after Aurora left. Her mind was a whir of thoughts and feelings. She felt as though she’d been living in a bubble all her life, blissfully unaware that there was a whole world out there where people were doing things she didn’t even know existed. She had a lot to learn, and part of her, the part that was always hungry for knowledge, was desperate to find out as much as she could, and the other part, the part that still felt like a little girl, didn’t want anything to change.

\---

“Have you got everything you need, Marcus?” Vera Kane fussed around him as Marcus packed the last few things for his trip into his backpack.

“I think so.” He folded up his spare grey t-shirt and added it to the pack, then zipped it up and fastened the flap. He grabbed his leather jacket from his closet, shrugged it on then paused in front of the mirror to check himself out. His hair had grown longer over the last month, was curling beneath his ears. He’d straightened it as best he could, styled it into a softer quiff. It needed trimming really, but he’d have to cut it short soon enough, and he kind of liked having it longer for now.

“I’m going to have to get used to this, aren’t I?” said Vera, watching him sadly.

“I’ll only be away a week.”

“This time, but you’ll be moving out soon, and then I’ll never see you.”

“You’ll see me,” said Marcus, and his mom hummed in response. They both knew he was desperate to get out of here and start his life. A sixteen-year-old living away from home would not be thinking about his mom.

“You’ll message me to let me know you’re there, won’t you?”

“I’m not travelling to Earth, mom. It’s Alpha Station.”

“I know, but you’ll do it, okay. Make your old mom happy.”

“Fine,” he said with an exaggerated sigh.

He moved towards the door.

“Be a good boy. Work hard,” said Vera as he opened the door.

“I will. I love you,” he replied, softening under her sad gaze and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

He adjusted his pack and set off on his long walk to Alpha Station. He was excited to start the work shadowing. Even though it was more tech based than he was used to it would give him a great insight into the governance of the Ark and its systems. He’d also get to find out the most up to date information on the Earth and its condition, which he was most fascinated by. A future Head of the Guard needed to know everything about the ship he was protecting. That ambition, plus Sinclair’s extensive computer knowledge, had convinced his teacher that he was the student who would benefit most from this opportunity.

There was another reason of course, the reason that had propelled him to enter the competition in the first place, and that was Abby. He’d finally found a way to communicate with her, albeit it only the one time so far. Aurora Blake of all people had offered to take a message in person to Abby, and as she’d seemed genuine, and Marcus wasn’t exactly trusting her with anything too personal, he’d agreed. He’d wanted Abby to know he hadn’t forgotten about her, that he’d been trying to find a way to see her, but at the same time he’d wanted to surprise her. He’d told Aurora to tell her to expect a surprise, and that was all he’d said.

He didn’t want to disrupt Abby in her classes or go to her quarters and give her father a heart attack, so he was heading out early to Alpha Station’s Mess, where Aurora had said she always ate lunch. His spirits lifted the closer he got.

\---

Abby finished her Engineering class and headed to lunch alone as usual. She practically bounced all the way there, as though her boots had springs in them. It was part excitement and part tension. She’d been like this ever since Aurora had told her a few days ago that Marcus had a surprise for her. She hoped the surprise was him but didn’t know how or why he would be on Alpha Station.

It had been excruciating waiting to hear from him, and the longer it had gone on the more she’d been tempted to try and contact him herself, but she didn’t know how. She didn’t know anyone on Tesla Station and certainly wasn’t going to trust someone like Diana to help her. She’d thought about getting into her mom or dad’s datapad, trying to find him that way, message him secretly and then delete it, but she couldn’t bring herself to cheat her parents in that way, and he wouldn’t be able to message her back, so what was the point?

In the end it was Aurora who’d come to her rescue, sitting next to Abby on one of her visits to the Mess and whispering in her ear that Marcus hadn’t forgotten her, that he had a surprise for her, and she just had to be patient. Abby had infinite patience for some things, like making the practice sutures she did on an old piece of leather as neat as possible or designing an intricate indexing system for her notes. For Marcus’s surprise she had no patience and was hoping it wouldn’t be much longer or else she was liable to explode into pieces in the middle of the Mess.

“Do you want this algae soup, child?”

“Eh?” Abby looked up, saw Mrs Rodwell and her ladle of soup leaning towards her. She’d somehow daydreamed her way into the line for food. “Oh, yes, please.”

Mrs Rodwell spooned the brown liquid into Abby’s bowl and Abby picked a biscuit and a glass of water and placed them on her tray. She went to her usual seat, sat down and started to eat. No one bothered her as usual. Most of her classmates avoided the Mess because it wasn’t cool to be seen there apparently. Such things didn’t worry Abby. She finished her soup, pushed her tray to one side and took a sip of her water.

“Are you not going to eat that biscuit?” said a familiar voice, and Abby’s stomach flipped at the sound of it.

She looked around, saw Marcus standing behind her, a huge smile on his face. Her stomach fluttered, and her heart thumped. He looked more handsome than when she’d first met him, all soft hair and dark eyes and lop-sided smile.

“Hi!” she managed to say, and was amazed that her voice sounded even, because her whole body felt as though it was quivering.

“Hi,” he said. “Told you I’d find you.”

“You did.” Abby smiled at him.

“May I join you?” he said, indicating the chair next to her.

Abby nodded. “Please.”

He sat down, pulled his chair closer to hers. “How are you?”

“I’m great. Better for seeing you,” she said.

“Yeah. It’s great to see you too. You look lovely.”

“This is nothing special,” she said, looking down at her dark blue denim jacket that she wore most of the time.

“I mean all of you. I like your hair like that, in the braid.”

Abby stroked her long braid in response to his comment. “Do you?”

“Yeah. You look cute.”

Abby smiled. “Thanks.” She had her hand on the table and Marcus put his next to hers, their pinky fingers touching. A shiver ran up Abby’s arm and all through her body.

“I missed you,” he said.

“I missed you too. What are you doing here? How did you...?”

“I’m on a work shadowing placement in Earth Monitoring for a week.” He grinned broadly at her, enjoying the surprised look that she knew was on her face.

“You’re here for a whole week?”

“Yep!”

“Awesome!” This was so much more than she’d been expecting. A whole week of him being close to her. She could walk into Earth Monitoring anytime she wanted, well outside of classes.

“You happy about that then?” he said, looking carefully at her.

“Definitely.”

“Great!” He hooked his pinky over hers, and Abby grew warm all over.

“I have to go to classes again in a few minutes.”

“I know. I have to go and meet the guy I’m shadowing and find my room I guess.”

“Are you staying here on Alpha Station.”

“Yes. I’m in sector 3B.”

Abby’s stomach flipped again. “We’re in 3A, that’s just the next hallway.”

“You’ll be able to see me easily, then,” he said, leaning closer to her, his brown eyes twinkling.

“Yeah,” Abby breathed, suddenly realising what it meant to have him here on Alpha Station, in the next hallway, in his own room.

Marcus sighed. “I have to go. I’d kiss you again, but I’m guessing this is too public.”

“It is really. My parents...”

“I know. Can I see you later? Will you be able to get out?”

“Yeah probably. They’re both working late shifts this week. My dad leaves around seven.”

“I’ll meet you at the end of your hallway, then, after seven.”

“Okay. That would be great.” Abby’s heart was racing now, at the thought of seeing him later, and at the knowledge that she was going to be doing something her parents didn’t know about. They’d think she was studying in her bedroom, and instead she’d be with Marcus. The thought was scary, and thrilling.

Marcus stroked her finger again with his, and then stood. “Tonight, then.”

“Tonight,” said Abby.


	4. Space Oddities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby and Marcus finally get to spend some time together.

Marcus waited at the junction of Sector 3A and 3B with nervous anticipation. It was exactly seven o’clock so Abby’s father should be leaving for work. He didn’t know which of the rooms off the hallway were theirs, and he couldn’t see all the way down and around the corner. He hovered, ready to turn away back down his hallway if anyone who wasn’t a cute fourteen-year-old girl came along.

He'd met the tech he was shadowing earlier, a man only a few years older than Marcus called Thelonious Jaha. He’d seemed okay, keen to share his knowledge. He’d told Marcus he was willing to put extra effort into the work if Marcus was willing to do the same. He was, because he was eager to learn about the Ark, and that’s what he’d told Jaha. The room they’d given him was small and minimal like everything on the Ark, but it was bigger than his bedroom at home and more importantly it was his own space. His mom wasn’t there to pester him or smother him, and he could spend some quality time with Abby. He couldn’t wait for her to arrive.

He heard footsteps echoing along the hallway and tensed. Would it look odd if it was Abby’s father and he saw Marcus quickly disappearing? Should he saunter casually down the hallway as though he had every right to be here, which he did? He was caught in two minds and the footsteps were getting closer. He hung back down his own hallway, pulled out his datapad quickly and pretended to peruse it. He heard a cough, which definitely belonged to a man, and kept his head down. The man with the cough appeared, walked past the junction Marcus had been standing at a moment ago and headed further down Sector B. Marcus looked up, caught a glimpse of a tall man with dark brown hair threaded with grey. He strode purposefully, confidently, and thankfully never looked back to see the nervous young man waiting to meet his daughter, if indeed it was Abby’s father.

Five long minutes went past, and Marcus grew confident that it had been Abby’s father, as a man as strict as him was unlikely to be late, and he moved back to the junction of the two hallways. Softer footsteps could be heard, and a few seconds later Abby appeared, walking with a spring in her step, her braid swinging, a nervous smile on her face. Marcus’s pulse raced faster. She was here.

He stepped forward. “Hi,” he said.

She stopped short of him, smiled shyly. “Hi.”

“I think I just saw your dad go past. Tall with dark hair?”

“Yeah, that’s him. I thought he wasn’t going to go. I was like, please don’t let him have changed his shift and not told me!”

“Oh, God, can you imagine? That would have been awful.”

“I know! I wouldn’t have been able to contact you to tell you.”

“We’ll have to figure out how to message each other somehow.” Marcus looked around and then leaned towards Abby and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “I was desperate to do that earlier,” he said.

She smiled and blushed and didn’t answer.

“Shall we go to my room? It’s probably the safest place.”

“Okay,” said Abby, blushing even more.

Marcus thought it was cute how pink she got when she was happy or nervous or excited. She wasn’t someone who could hide her feelings, which might be good or bad, for him if he ever misbehaved himself, and for the secrecy of their relationship.

He wanted to hold her hand but thought better of it. If her father had forgotten something, or if anyone she knew walked down the hallway there would be no hiding it. They walked side by side down the hallway and when he got to his door he opened it, ushered her ahead of him inside.

“Oh, it’s nice!” she said, looking around.

“Yeah. There’s a desk for me to work at and... well, the bed obviously.” He felt himself grow warm now, wondered if his face had gone red like Abby’s. It must be catching, blushing, like a disease that afflicted nervous young people. He swallowed. “You can have the chair if you like, or the bed. Whichever.”

“We can both sit on the bed. It’s only a piece of furniture,” said Abby, and she sat on the end, crossing her legs beneath her.

“Yeah, of course. Erm, would you like some fruit punch? I got some from the Mess?”

“Oh, yes please.”

Marcus went over to his desk, poured a flask of juice into two cups and handed one to Abby. He sat on the bed next to her, crossed his own legs, and they both sipped their punch and looked at each other silently.

“How come you’re here?” said Abby after a minute. “I mean, I know you’re doing the work shadowing. Is that part of your class?”

“No. I won a competition actually,” he said, finding it hard not to sound smug.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I had to write an essay and convince my teacher I’m good with technology. That’s how much I wanted to see you.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, enjoying her smile and her big, warm, adoring eyes.

“I bet you’re good at everything,” she said.

“I’d like to say yes, so you only think the best of me, but I’m clumsy and computers don’t seem to like me. I once nearly caused the Ark to meltdown.”

Her eyes grew wide. “You didn’t!”

“They never should have put me in charge of the power station.”

She laughed. “You weren’t in charge of the power station.”

“I might as well have been, the trouble I managed to cause. They had to rewrite their procedures because of me. I was quite proud actually.”

“I knew you’d be trouble,” Abby said jokily.

“It’s the leather jacket isn’t it? It makes me look rebellious.”

“I like your jacket. You look good.” Her dark eyes roamed over him, and Marcus willed himself not to go red again. “Your hair is longer too.”

“I can’t bring myself to cut it before I have to.”

“It’s nice. It looks really soft.”

“It is soft.” Marcus ran his fingers through the hair that curled beneath his ear. “You can feel it if you want.” He had to swallow after he said this, because a nervous excitement caught in his throat.

Abby hesitated, and then she reached across, stroked his hair, her fingers entwining in it, folding around a curl. Marcus had to take an extra breath.

“That feels nice,” he murmured.

“Yeah,” said Abby, and then she unwound her fingers from his hair, took a long sip from her drink, watching him over the rim.

Marcus wanted to touch her hair as well, or some part of her, any part of her, but she didn’t offer, and he didn’t want to push things too soon.

They sat in silence again; it was comfortable and awkward at the same time. “Do you like music?” Marcus said having finally decided on a topic to restart the conversation.

“Yes. I like the really old music they had in the nineteen eighties mostly.”

“Oh, me too! I love David Bowie.”

“I like David Bowie too. What’s your favourite song?”

“Space Oddity, obviously,” said Marcus with a grin.

“That’s the best one.”

“Pity there’s no music player here. We could have listened to something.”

Abby sat straighter. “I have a portable one in my bedroom. I could go and get it.”

“That would be great! You’ll come back though, right? This isn’t an excuse so you can run out on me.”

“I won’t do that!” she said, getting off the bed.

“How will I know?”

She leaned forward, kissed his cheek quickly. “Because I promise.” She left hurriedly, not looking at him after her kiss.

Marcus felt warm all over, his cheek most of all. He’d had a few kisses over the years, from girls, not just his mother, even a couple on the lips, but none had left the imprint that Abby’s did. It burned into him, and when he held his hand close to his cheek, he imagined he could feel the heat, like it was glowing. You’re an idiot, he said to himself.

Abby returned five minutes later and deposited a cube on the bed. Marcus picked it up to examine it.

“This is one of the last models they made before the apocalypse!”

“It has a lot of music preloaded,” said Abby. “I listen to it a lot.” She put it on the desk and connected it to the wall. Music spilled from it, not something Marcus recognised, but it had a slow beat and was soothing.

Abby got back on the bed, sat closer to Marcus and he put his arm around her.

“This is nice,” he said, kissing her head.

She let out a stuttering breath. “Yes,” she whispered.

“I’m so glad I won the competition.”

“Me too.” She leaned into him, rested her head in the crook of his arm.

They sat silently through a few songs. Marcus was enjoying the music and the feel of her in his arms. Her braid was within touching distance, and he made a slight adjustment so he could reach it with his fingers. He stroked it softly, running over the knots, poking the tip of his finger into the gaps.

Abby let out a soft sigh.

Marcus felt a stirring that he didn’t want to become obvious, so he took his hand away, put it back on her shoulder.

“Do you think there’s life on other planets?” he said to distract himself.

“Depends on your definition of life. I’m sure there are microbes and other organisms on planets in some far distant galaxy. They might not be carbon-based. If you mean humans or something that approximates humans then statistically I think that’s highly likely, yes.”

Marcus smiled at the depth of her answer. Clever and beautiful. Everything he’d been looking for. He sighed happily. “They found a few possible Goldilocks planets, didn’t they, before everything went kaput.”

“You mean ones that are just in the right zone, not too hot, not too cold?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”

They spent a pleasant hour discussing life and the universe, and Marcus was disappointed when Abby looked at her watch and sighed.

“I have to get back,” she said. “I have class tomorrow and my mom’s shift will be over soon.”

“I know. I have to get up early for my placement as well.”

Abby sighed again. “Okay,” she said, looking up at him.

“Okay,” said Marcus, and he planted a kiss on her nose. “You’d better go.”

Abby got off the bed and Marcus did the same. They stood opposite each other, awkward again. Marcus wondered if he should kiss her again, and if it should be on the cheek or on the lips. He didn’t know what Abby was thinking, or what she expected.

“Thank you for a lovely evening,” Abby said.

“Thank you. I really enjoyed it, and thanks for the music.”

She nodded. “I’ll leave the cube with you. Do you want to meet again tomorrow night?”

“Yes. That would be great.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

She moved towards the door, opened it. “Bye, Marcus.”

“Bye, Abby,” he said, and she looked at him one last time then the door shut behind her with a sigh that summed up Marcus’s feelings.

He should have kissed her, or hugged her, or said something nicer than ‘great’ and ‘okay’. Idiot! He lay on his bed, stared up at the grey metal ceiling. Tomorrow night he’d be bolder.

\---

The next day dragged so slowly for Abby it felt as though it had the length of a week. For the first time in her life her classes didn’t engage her. She sat quietly at the front, fixed her eyes on Mr Morgan like she always did, and daydreamed about Marcus. She’d had three kisses from him in the one night. To her cheek, her head and her nose. She’d thought he was going to kiss her a fourth time as she was leaving, but he hadn’t. It didn’t matter. Three was enough, and she’d kissed him, of course, so that made four.

His skin had felt so soft and delicate beneath her lips, and warm, the blood flowing through the capillaries close to the surface. She wondered what his lips would feel like if she kissed him there. The top one, the _Labium superius oris_ , was thin and shaped like a cupid’s bow; the bottom one, _Labium inferius oris_ , was fleshier. It felt good when he kissed her with them, his breath warm and smelling like fruit punch, his long nose brushing the side of her face. The lips had over a million nerve endings, were one of the most sensitive areas of the body. The part of the somatosensory cortex devoted to their signals was huge. She sighed. Marcus had nice lips.

“Are you alright, Abigail?”

“Hmm?” Abby looked up to see Mr Morgan looking down at her.

“You sighed.”

Abby sat up straighter. “I, erm, was thinking about the biology exam.”

“There’s no need to worry about that; you’ll be fine.”

“Brainiabby is always fine,” said Paul Mbege who was always teasing her.

Abby turned in her chair, fixed him with a glare. “I’d say go boil your head, Mbege, but it’s so empty it would just float on top of the water.”

A chorus of oohs from her classmates followed her statement.

“Go float yourself,” said Mbege.

“Float your head!” retorted Abby.

“That’s enough of that!” said Mr Morgan. “No one’s boiling or floating anything.”

Abby glared at Mbege then turned primly to the front. If she concentrated on her schoolwork, then the time would go faster.

That night it was her mom who nearly stopped Abby from seeing Marcus. She came home unexpectedly at eighteen hundred hours telling Abby a gap had opened in her schedule and she’d thought it would be nice to spend it with her favourite daughter.

“I’m your only daughter,” said Abby like she always did when her mom made this joke. She tried to give her mom her attention but the closer it came to the time she was supposed to be meeting Marcus the jitterier she became.

“Are you okay?” said Ruth, and she put her hand over Abby’s forehead. “You feel warm.”

“I’m fine. Just tired, I think.”

“You work too hard sometimes. You should get some rest tonight.”

“It’s probably just time of the month,” said Abby, which was the truth, although she wasn’t feeling tired. Impatience was her problem. Fear that her mother wouldn’t go back to work.

“Aah, I see,” said Ruth, satisfied that a suitable diagnosis had been made and she didn’t have to worry any longer. “Then I shall go and leave you to relax. Have some hot tea.”

“I will. Thanks, mom.”

“I’ll walk with you, Ruth,” said Jacob, and Abby gave a guilty sigh of relief when they both kissed her and left.

She went into her bedroom, drew black eyeliner inexpertly around her eyes and rubbed a little of her mom’s eyeshadow over the lids. She wasn’t very good at blending it in even though Aurora had shown her how to do it at least a hundred times, but when she appraised herself she thought she looked reasonable, and not like she’d been punched in the face like the first time she’d tried to wear makeup.

She brushed and re-braided her hair the way Marcus liked it, then took the necklace her mom had given her out of its box and hung that around her neck. It was fifteen minutes after seven now, but it was worth being delayed because she thought she looked nice, and that gave her confidence.

She opened the door to their quarters, poked her head outside. The hallway was empty so she hurried down it, her heart thumping in case someone saw her, but no one did. A minute later she was knocking on Marcus’s door. He opened it instantly, so he must have been waiting for her.

“Hi!” he said, ushering her past him with a big smile.

“Hi!” Abby turned to look at him, and he moved in, kissed her cheek. He was wearing a black t-shirt with his black jeans and he looked so handsome Abby grew warm all over just looking at him.

“You look nice,” he said. His eyes roamed all over her, alighting on her pendant. “I like your necklace.”

“Thanks,” said Abby. “My mom gave it to me.”

Marcus put his fingers on it, stroking it, turning the heart over. Abby’s pulse raced so fast she thought she might explode. He was millimetres away from touching the bare skin of her chest. “Cute,” he said, then he dropped it.

“Yeah,” breathed Abby.

“How were your classes?” said Marcus as they took up their positions on the bed.

“Boring,” said Abby.

“Bored? You? I doubt that.”

“Well, I wasn’t bored when I was thinking about you.” Abby looked up at him shyly.

“You were thinking about me?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good, because I was thinking about you too.”

“What were you thinking about?” said Abby. Her pulse was racing again, matching the thumping of her heart. Would it be like this always? Every time she saw him or thought about him? It could kill her!

“I was thinking about tonight and how much I wanted to see you. This Jaha guy was droning on about the systems and I don’t think I took more than half of what he said in.”

“You should listen to him,” said Abby, although she was pleased that Marcus had been as distracted in his thoughts about her as she had been with him.

“I know. But you’re more interesting.” He grinned at her.

“What else did you do today apart from thinking about me?” said Abby, sitting back against the wall, basking in the warmth of his gaze.

“I learned a lot, actually. Jaha’s okay. He’s older than me and he’s been working on the Ark systems since he was my age, so he knows everything!”

Marcus told her about his day which sounded really exciting. Abby tried to make her day more interesting than it had been when he asked her about it just so she wouldn’t seem so young. He was having adventures and learning important things about the Ark while Abby was swapping insults with Mbege in Biology class. It was exciting that an older boy was so interested in her, but how long would it last?

Music from the player she’d left with him accompanied their conversation, and when they’d talked for a while and there was a lull, Marcus suddenly jumped off the bed. He held out his hand to her.

“Let’s dance!” he said.

Abby gave him her hand and he pulled her up. He held her like he had the night of the Unity Day dance, and they moved awkwardly around his small room. He wasn’t wearing his jacket this time, and Abby could feel the warmth of his body through his t-shirt. She pressed her hand more firmly into the small of his back. He responded by pulling her closer, until there was barely any space between them. The muscles in his back flexed beneath her fingers, and she was fascinated by it. She’d read about such things of course, but never really had her hand on another body in this way. She spread her fingers wider so she could cover as much of his back as possible.

“Maybe we’ll be lucky and some David Bowie will come on,” whispered Marcus into her ear, his breath ticklish.

“I can only get it to shuffle through the music. I wish I could pick the songs,” said Abby.

“It’s fine. This way it’s like an adventure, isn’t it? We don’t know what we’re getting next, and then when a song we like finally comes on, it will be special.”

“I’ve never thought about it like that.”

“I’m good at thinking outside the box,” said Marcus. “My teacher says it’s my best asset.”

Abby thought about what Aurora had said her best assets were and had to stifle a laugh. She didn’t agree with her and didn’t think Marcus would either. Intelligence, both practical and emotional, was the best asset anyone could have. Her mom always told her that and Abby knew it to be true.

“I think you proved that by winning the competition to come here,” she said.

“That’s right!”

Marcus spun her out at a lively part of the song they were dancing to, and then brought her back in. Abby fell against him with a laugh. She grasped his back again and was shocked to feel warm skin beneath her hand instead of the soft material of his t-shirt. It must have ridden up when he twirled her. Something did a complete flip inside her, as though she had been turned upside down and righted again. She had to take a gulp of air and Marcus held her tighter. Had he noticed she was touching his bare skin? He must have, but he didn’t say anything.

The song slowed and they swayed rather than danced. Abby kept her hand where it was, her heart thumping hard, and Marcus brought her closer. Now there was no gap between them and she could feel the contours of his body, his broad chest that contained his heart that she fancied was beating as hard as hers, and his lungs that were taking deep breaths like hers. Her breasts were squashed against him and she wondered how that felt for him. Was he aware of them? Did they feel hard and firm or soft and squishy or was there nothing to feel at all?

His back had grown warm and sweaty beneath her hand. She didn’t know if that was from the dancing, or if it was her own hand that was hot and sweaty. Could he feel that? If she took her hand away would he grow cold there as her heat evaporated? She felt his lips brushing her hair and then they touched her more firmly as he kissed her. She moved her hand tentatively across his back more to relieve the sweatiness than anything else, and he moaned, which sent a ripple of pleasure through her body.

“Abby,” he whispered.

She looked up at him. His eyes were darker than space. He dropped the hand which had been holding hers firmly in the air, put it around her waist to join his other. Abby didn’t know what to do with the hand he’d left behind, so she did the same, although she didn’t dare to put it beneath his t-shirt. Doing that by accident was one thing; doing it deliberately quite another.

Marcus kissed her cheek again, but he didn’t stop there this time. He moved along her cheekbone, depositing tiny kisses down its length. He was heading towards her lips, and Abby’s mouth opened in anticipation. She was breathing through her mouth, and if he caught her at the wrong moment he would suck up all her breath instead, and she would be consumed by him.

His lips touched the edge of hers, and rested there, and for a moment she thought that was as far as he would go, and disappointment gave her a bitter feeling in her stomach, and then his lips pressed against hers fully. They were so warm, so soft. They closed over her bottom lip and she felt his tongue against it fleetingly, sucking it. It felt shocking and she closed her eyes, indulged in the feel of him against her so intimately.

He pulled back, looked at her. “How was that?” he said softly.

“Lovely,” she said.

“Yeah, it was for me too.” He moved in again to kiss her; this time it was her top lip that was captured, and then he seemed to alternate between the two. Abby wanted to see what it would be like to kiss him, so she tried to copy him, flicking her tongue out so she could find out what his lips tasted like. They were fruity like the punch he’d drunk, with a hint of salt.

“Oh,” he moaned into her mouth.

“Was that wrong?” said Abby, her lips moving against his as she spoke.

“No,” he whispered. “No, it was amazing.”

Abby swelled with pride that she’d done this right, that he’d enjoyed her kisses as much as she had his. He pressed one more kiss to her lips, then stood back. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes bright.

“That was fantastic,” Marcus said, then he sat on the bed with his hands in his lap.

Abby sat next to him. “I’ve never kissed anyone before,” she said.

“I would not have known. You were great.”

“Thanks,” she said with a huge grin. “So were you.”

“We’ll have to do that many more times.”

“Yeah.”

Her whole body was suffused with warmth and happiness. Nothing had ever given her this feeling, not even getting top marks in all her classes, or when her father had taken her to watch a spacewalk as a reward. She felt weightless now, as though she was floating in space, looking down on her and Marcus, zooming in through the layers of metal that made up the Ark, down through the wires and cables, into his tiny room, seeing their dark heads next to each other, sitting on a bed.

Who was she, this girl who kissed a boy, who made him moan and say “oh” and gave him pink cheeks and sparkling eyes? Surely it wasn’t her? It wasn’t Abby Walters who never did anything wrong, whose only dream until now had been to be a doctor. Who was this girl, and what was she going to become?


	5. True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus learns more about the Ark, and has a surprise for Abby.

“They don’t teach you this in poli-sci, but the Ark is actually blind to what’s happening on Earth, environmentally speaking,” said Jaha, looking at Marcus smugly.

Marcus tried to look nonchalant at this bombshell news, as though it was no surprise to him at all. “I see,” he said. “Why is that?”

“We cannibalised all the satellites for parts which you’ll probably know, but the apocalypse also knocked out all the sensors on the ground. Radiation fried them basically. Everything we know is mainly what we see out of the windows.”

“So we don’t know if the estimate of two hundred years for the Earth to become habitable again is on track?”

“Not scientifically, although we can see that it’s starting to green again in certain areas.”

“Yeah,” said Marcus. There was no window in Earth Monitoring Station to look out of, which seemed ridiculous to him. “What are all the monitors for, then?”

“Most of them are for Ark monitoring, but we have tried to send probes to the ground. It would be the dream one day to send something like a Mars rover to investigate the Earth. You’ve heard of the Mars rover, right?”

“Of course,” said Marcus, who was fascinated with the history of space exploration and had read extensively about NASA and their missions to the moon, Jupiter and Mars in the centuries before the apocalypse.

“You can’t repeat anything I tell you here by the way, or else I’ll have to float you.” Jaha looked so serious as he said this it made Marcus want to laugh.

“My lips are sealed,” he said.

“You want to join the Guard, is that right?”

“Yes. I hope to be head of it one day.”

To his surprise, Jaha didn’t laugh at him like everybody else did. Well, everybody except Abby.

“You’ll have to work hard.”

“I know.”

“Government on the Ark is about connections. It’s all who you know, but that means that most people don’t understand how it all works underneath because they’ve never had to learn. It leaves opportunities for people who do understand. If you know everything, you control everything. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes,” said Marcus. “Why are you telling me this?”

“We’ve had a lot of kids in here, kids from the working stations like you. You’ve got something about you, though. You could do well if you put your mind to it.”

“Thanks,” said Marcus, warmth making his veins swell, pumping up his heart.

“Remember who your friends are.”

“I will.”

“Anyway. This monitor looks at oxygen levels, which of course is crucial to our survival.”

Marcus watched as Jaha flicked some switches and showed him how the levels were monitored, and how problems could be isolated within individual sectors. It was fascinating, and he was soon lost in the work.

\---

Abby finished lessons at lunchtime but instead of heading to the Mess as usual she went the opposite way, towards Go-Sci and Earth Monitoring Station. She’d prepared a ruse in case she was seen by her parents or anyone they knew, which was that she needed some data to help her with her biology homework. Her excitement grew the closer she got to the station. Marcus would be surprised to see her, and she was looking forward to seeing him at work.

The door to the station opened with a hiss and she stepped inside. Mr Rodwell, husband to Mrs Rodwell the buxom server from the Mess, was standing at a station near the entrance and he turned to see who had entered.

“Hello, Abigail,” he said, smiling warmly at her. “Your father’s not here today.”

“Oh,” replied Abby, pretending to look disappointed. “I just need some data. One of the techs will be able to help.”

“Go on in,” he said, waving her into the room.

Abby walked to the next workstation which was empty. She scanned the room, taking in the wall of monitors with their graphs and streams of data. Across the room two dark heads were bowed over a desk monitor. She recognised the wavy hair of Marcus. Her stomach flipped. Here goes, she said to herself.

She walked over to them purposefully. “Hi,” she said as she drew close.

Marcus and a dark-skinned man she knew as Jaha turned to look at her. Marcus’s face registered shock at first, and then he smiled.

“Hello,” said Jaha walking towards her with his hand outstretched. “Abigail, isn’t it? I’ve seen you in here a few times with your father but I don’t think we’ve been introduced. I’m Thelonious.”

“It’s Abby, and yeah, it’s nice to meet you.” Abby shook his hand and Jaha smiled at her. He didn’t introduce Marcus or even acknowledge his existence, so Abby was forced to introduce herself to him.

“I’m Abby Walters,” she said to him, trying not to smile.

“Marcus Kane,” he replied, and she could tell he was holding back his own smile. He took her hand and thankfully this time he shook it rather than kissing it.

“What are you doing here, Abby?” said Jaha.

“I was looking for my dad, but it seems he’s not on shift today.”

“No, I think he’s over at Agro Station looking at a blight problem.”

“Okay. Well, I just wanted some data really.” She tried not to look at Marcus because she could see he was smiling now, raising his eyebrows behind Jaha’s back, and it made her want to laugh.

“On what?”

“Fluctuations in oxygen levels over the last year,” she said, pleased with how even her voice was as she told the lie.

“Oh, I can help you with that,” said Marcus, pushing in front of Jaha. “I’ve just learned all about it!” He took her arm and steered her towards a bank of monitors.

Abby could see Jaha’s frown as he watched them go. He seemed put out, which was understandable as he was the head technician and Marcus was on work experience. It was arrogant of him to assume the lead like this, but he had an ulterior motive of course, which Abby knew, and Jaha did not.

“Hi!” whispered Marcus as they stood in front of the monitor with their backs to Jaha. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought it would be fun to see you at work. You don’t mind, do you?” said Abby, suddenly wondering if she’d been presumptuous and was embarrassing Marcus.

“Of course not! It’s great to see you.” He took Abby’s hand, linked his fingers through hers.

“I couldn’t wait until tonight.”

“Speaking of tonight; I have a plan.” Marcus glanced at her making Abby’s heartrate shoot up.

“What is it?”

“So, this file here contains all the data for oxygen levels on the Ark and you can search it by year,” Marcus said, suddenly dropping her hand.

Abby looked around to see Jaha standing close behind them. “That’s great. I’d like the data for 2122, if possible.”

“I can get that.” Marcus typed into the keyboard and brought up a file. “You can get it into a graph to show the fluctuations more easily.” He pressed a lot of buttons, searched numerous commands but kept missing the one for creating graphs. It seemed obvious to Abby and she stood impatiently while he grew increasingly frustrated. “Erm, hang on; it’s here somewhere.”

Jaha started to move forward, but Abby beat him to it. “Try that one,” she said, pointing to a picture of a graph.

“Oh, yeah. Thanks.” Marcus clicked on the button and the graph options appeared.

“A simple line chart will do.” Abby leaned across Marcus, her arm brushing against his, and clicked on the button.

His face was close to hers as they both peered at the screen, and she felt his hot breath on her cheek as he turned to look at her. “You know your way around a computer,” he said.

“Well, there’s a lot of data in biology.” She turned to look at him, her lips mere inches from his.

He smiled. “I bet there is.”

Abby smiled back. “Yeah.”

Jaha coughed and they both jumped and turned around. “The fluctuations in the oxygen levels have a number of causes, Abby. Problems with the power supply can affect them; even though there are obviously backup generators, they don’t have the capacity to maintain the original levels, so we reduce them across the Ark while the problem is resolved,” he said, even though Abby hadn’t asked for an explanation.

Jaha pushed Marcus out of the way as he demonstrated how this was achieved. Marcus stood behind him, pulling faces at Abby who was trying hard not to laugh.

“Anyway, I can send the file to your datapad. What’s your address?” said Jaha after what felt like hours of droning on about the oxygen.

“Oh, I don’t have that set up on my datapad,” said Abby. “It, erm, stopped working.”

Jaha frowned. “Did it? Do you have it with you?”

“Yes.”

“Let me see it.”

Abby rummaged in her bag for her datapad and handed it over to Jaha. He scrolled through it, bringing up settings and typing in a password.

“Ah. It’s been disabled somehow. I can fix that for you if you like?”

Abby glanced at Marcus who was nodding vigorously. “That would be great if you could.”

“Yeah, no problem.” Jaha typed into the datapad then handed it back to Abby. “You should be able to send and receive messages now.”

“Thank you,” said Abby, trying not to look at Marcus, although she could see he had a broad smile on his face.

Jaha turned back to the monitor, did some more typing. “There, I’ve sent you the file now.” He smiled hopefully at her.

Abby looked at her datapad and sure enough there was the file in her inbox. “Cool. Thanks so much!”

“You’re welcome.”

“Okay, I’d better get going,” said Abby, looking reluctantly at Marcus.

“I’ll walk you out,” he said, ignoring Jaha’s quizzical look.

“Thanks again, Thelonious,” said Abby as she followed Marcus to the door.

“Oh, my God, that’s amazing!” said Marcus as they stood in the hallway. “I can message you now!”

“Yeah, I couldn’t believe it when he said he could do it.”

Footsteps were approaching along the hallway. “You’d better go,” said Marcus.

“What were you planning for later?” said Abby as she created some distance between them in case the person heading towards them was someone she knew.

“Check your messages later and you’ll find out!” Marcus winked at her, then went back through the door just as a figure appeared around the corner.

It was Mr Morgan. “What are you doing here, Abigail?” he said, smiling warmly at her.

“I was just getting some data because I want to look at oxygen levels in the Ark.”

“Are you thinking about the effects on the body?”

“Erm, yes. That’s right.”

Mr Morgan shook his head while he smiled. “So clever!” he said with a sigh. “I wish all my students were like you.”

In the past, this comment would have had Abby blushing, but she was barely listening to him, anxious to get home and fit her studying in before she went out that evening to whatever Marcus was planning for her. Excitement bubbled up inside her.

“Thanks, Mr Morgan!” she said, and she smiled brightly at him before turning and heading down the hallway towards her quarters.

Abby checked her datapad obsessively the rest of the afternoon waiting for Marcus’s message. She didn’t dare put on a sound notification so there was nothing for it but to check every minute. Finally, at seventeen hundred hours a message appeared at the exact moment she was looking.

 _Dear Abby_ ,

_I’ve just finished my shift and I’m off to sort out your surprise. Don’t eat anything if you can help it! Meet me as soon as your dad’s left. Sector 2b – there’s a room at the end of the hallway. You’ll have to go down a level. I’ll be waiting for you._

_Marcus xx_

Abby sighed as she read his words over and over. He’d left her two kisses and she traced them with her fingers as though his lips had left them. He had a surprise for her in a room at the end of Sector 2b. What could that be? Abby knew this part of Alpha station well and could picture the hallway but had no idea what was special about the room at the end of it. She couldn’t wait to find out. She typed a message back, looking over her shoulder guiltily in case her dad had somehow entered her room unheard like an aging ninja.

_Dear Marcus,_

_I’m intrigued now about the surprise! I have no idea what it could be but I’m excited. Can’t wait to see you later._

_Love_

_Abby xx_

She debated about adding in the word love, deleted it then typed it again before deleting it and then typing it a final time. Her finger hovered over the send button. It wouldn’t do any harm to say love, would it? It was what people said to each other. It didn’t mean anything. She grew warm and her finger got sweaty as it crept closer to the button. Then she pressed down quickly and the message was gone. Too late to take it back. A ripple of excitement went through her at her daring.

\---

Marcus set his supplies on the table and looked around the room, satisfied with what he’d managed to achieve in such a short time. He thought Abby would be pleased with what he’d found. He sat on the makeshift sofa he’d put together and pulled out his datapad, looking at her message again. There would be many such messages between them now, but this was the first. He could hear her voice in her words, the measured way she spoke, even when she was excited, so serious and matter of fact, sounding older than her years. She was probably enjoying a better education than Marcus was, had access to books and equipment he could only dream of, and that would affect how she spoke. But he was here now, in her world. 

There was a soft knock at the door and he jumped up, went to open it. Abby was standing there, nervous apprehension on her face. She smiled when she saw him.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi. Come in.” Marcus held the door and Abby walked past him into the room.

“Oh, wow! What is this?” She looked around the space, her eyes wide.

“I don’t know what it used to be but it’s just a junk room now. There’s all sorts of amazing stuff in it.”

“Was it set up like this, with the chairs and the table?” She walked over to the seat he’d created by pushing three old chairs together.

“No, I found them in among the pile of junk. Do you like it?”

“I do! Oh, look at the window! It’s amazing.”

She moved to the large window that had sold the room to Marcus when he’d found it on one of his late-night roams around Alpha Station. Marcus followed her, stood next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. She slipped hers around his waist without the hesitation she’d first shown when they were standing in front of a window in the observation room.

“I figured it would make a change to have a view as I don’t have one in my room.”

“It does. I love it.”

She looked up at him and Marcus bent to kiss her, going straight for her lips because he’d been daydreaming about this moment all day. They were warm and soft and he pressed a gentle kiss to them at first but she returned the pressure and he folded her into his arms. She sighed, her lips parting, and their mouths moved against each other openly. It was a wetter kiss than the last one; he could taste the juice she’d drunk, smell it on her breath. Her hands moved to his back, clutching the leather of his jacket and Marcus grew hot in her embrace. He pulled back before his temperature wasn’t the only thing rising.

Abby still had her eyes closed, and when she opened them and looked at him he fancied they seemed darker than usual. 

“You’re a great kisser,” he said, and her cheeks flushed pinker. Marcus decided to make it his mission to make her blush like that every time he saw her because she looked lovely and it made him feel good to have this effect on her.

“Thanks,” she said.

“Are you hungry? I got us some treats.” Marcus took her hand and led her to the table he’d found hidden at the back of the junk room. He ceremoniously removed the covers he’d put over two trays to reveal the food he’d begged from the Mess.

“You got all this?” said Abby, her eyes wide, looking at the tiny bowl of salad, the saltines and protein bar.

“Yeah. Take a seat.” He pulled out a chair for Abby to sit in. She folded herself into it, a big smile on her face. He turned her music player on, and a song called True by an old nineteen eighties band, Spandau Ballet, started to play.

“How did you get it?” she said as he poured mushroom soup from a flask into the bowl on her tray.

“I pulled a few strings,” he replied, taking a seat next to her.

She paused with a forkful of lettuce midway to her mouth. “You don’t have strings to pull!” she said disbelievingly.

He’d known she wouldn’t be fooled, but it was fun to tease her. “You have a lot to learn about me, Abby.” Marcus stared at her mischievously. “Anyway, it’s best you don’t know how I got it. Just enjoy it.”

“I am.”

Marcus dipped a saltine into his soup and watched her out of the corner of his eye as she ate the salad. “I thought it would seem more like a date if we did something special.”

“It does. Everything is lovely. Thank you for doing it.”

“You’re welcome. I’m guessing you didn’t have any problems getting away from your dad.”

“No but my mom wanted to know why I didn’t eat anything at dinner. I told her I’d had a big lunch.”

“I’m sorry for making you lie.”

“It’s okay,” Abby said, but Marcus didn’t think it sat easily with her having to sneak around. He thought it was exciting, but then he wasn’t the one taking the biggest risk.

“This song has funny lyrics don’t you think?” said Marcus.

“Funny haha or funny weird?”

“Weird. Like, what are ‘seaside arms’?”

Abby frowned at him. “Where does it say that?”

“Just then. It said, ‘take your seaside arms and write the next line.’”

“Is that what it says? I thought it was ‘take your seat side on.’”

Marcus laughed. “That makes even less sense!”

“I know! I never understood it.”

“That’s hilarious,” he said. “What do you think he means by seaside arms?”

“Maybe they’re all wrinkly from being in the sea, like when you’ve had your hands in water a long time.”

“That would make it difficult to grip the pen to write the next line.”

“Actually, no. It’s believed that our skin goes wrinkly under water precisely so we CAN still grip things.”

“I did not know that.”

Abby turned to him with the serious face that somehow made his heart swell. She was so clever, and she liked to share her knowledge, but without seeming to show off. He thought she just couldn’t help it. He was like that himself, although maybe there was an element of showing off if he was honest.

“I tested it myself,” she said. “It’s true.”

A feeling Marcus had never experienced before welled up in him. It was kind of like the pride he felt when he excelled at something but mixed with a not-unpleasant sick feeling in his stomach. He’d read accounts from astronauts and pilots who flew Mach 5 and it seemed like that. Exhilaration. Was that it? Or fear. Or something else entirely.

“Do you do a lot of experiments?” he said, trying to swallow the feeling down.

“I try to. I shadow my mom a lot, so I get to watch her and sometimes she lets me try things out or help her. But a lot of the time I just try things. Like, I’m not afraid to play with things or see what button does what, you know?”

“Last time I did that, I nearly destroyed the Ark!”

“Oh, yes. Your meltdown disaster.”

“It’s my badge of honour now.” He grinned at her. “What’s your worst disaster with an experiment?”

They talked while they ate, and Marcus found it a lot easier to talk to her now than he had at the Unity Day dance. It was just a matter of asking questions, finding interesting things about her, or things they had in common, which was quite a lot luckily.

After dinner they sat on the makeshift sofa with their arms around each other, staring out of the window at the Earth as they orbited above what used to be Africa. Marcus was full and happy. The meal had been a success and the conversation had been interesting and fun. He felt comfortable with Abby now, more relaxed.

“Do you think this counts as our first date or was that the Unity Day dance?” she said.

“Oh, I think for anniversary purposes it should be Unity Day.”

“You’re saying that because it’s easy to remember,” she said with a wry smile.

“How can you say that?” said Marcus, pretending to be outraged. “I’ll never forget any of our times together.”

“Neither will I.”

She looked up at him and he stroked her cheek softly with his thumb, the he leaned in to kiss her and they were over central America before they came up for air.

Abby sighed happily. “I love kissing you.”

“It’s great, isn’t it? I know you said you’d never kissed anyone before. Have you had any boyfriends before me?”

She shook her head. “I wasn’t interested in boys until I met you.”

Marcus pulled a surprised face. “Really? No one at all?”

Abby’s cheeks tinged pink again, which told him there was someone, but it was embarrassing. “Well, not really.”

“There was someone, then. Who was it?”

She shook her head, so he tickled her, making her squirm. “Come on, Abby. It can’t be that bad.”

“Stop it!” she said laughing, pushing him back.

“I’ll just keep doing it until you tell me.” He moved in mercilessly and she screamed and laughed.

“Okay! Okay. It was my teacher, Mr Morgan. I thought he was cute.”

“Oh, really? What does he look like?”

“He has dark hair like you, but his eyes are blue.”

“I see. Do you prefer blue eyes?”

“No. I love your eyes. They’re so dark.”

“They are.” He put his face close to hers so all they could see were each other’s eyes. “They see everything,” he whispered.

“You’re such an idiot,” she said softly.

“Hmmm. You have beautiful eyes too,” he said.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. They’re like mountain pools. You know, like, high up on the hills on Earth there are lakes that are so dark you can’t see the bottom, but if you look into them you are mesmerised and they call to you, singing you to your doom. Those are Abby Walters’ eyes.”

He couldn’t see her whole face because he was so close to her, but he could tell she was smiling or grinning because her eyes crinkled at the edges, and he felt a puff of breath against his skin. “My eyes are singing you to your doom, are they?” she said.

“I think so. Yes.”

“You’d better close them then.” She reached up and gently closed his eyelids, then he felt her lips against his, moving softly. Her hands held his face, and he stayed still while she explored his lips and all around his mouth, the tip of her tongue pressing against his skin as though she was tasting him. It was ticklish more than anything else, but he let her experiment. She was learning, after all; they both were. He put his hands in her hair, stroked her braid.

“Mmm,” he said afterwards.

She nestled into his arm, and he fingered the knots on her loose braid, caressing the soft strands.

“Have you had lots of girlfriends before?” she said.

“Erm, well, no, not really.”

“Oh?” she said, sounding surprised.

“Well, I could have had. A lot of girls have been interested,” he replied, not wanting her to think he was a total loser.

“I know. Diana really likes you, and Aurora.”

“Yeah, and there’ve been others. I have kissed girls before, not those two, though, but I haven’t really, you know... they weren’t like this. They weren’t like you.”

“So, I’m your first proper girlfriend?”

“I guess you are. Yes.”

She sighed and snuggled tighter to him. Marcus kissed her head and stared out of the window. It was dark outside now, for a while at least, the stars twinkling, the planets bright. He could see Venus and Mars. He usually dreamt about flying to them, about one day the Ark being flung out of orbit and speeding towards another planet where they could make a new life. It wouldn’t be Venus. Mars, though, maybe, because there was water. Now, though, he had something to make his life trapped in this ship bearable. She was warm in his arms, breathing softly. He’d stay for her.


	6. Poking Bears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus excels, and gets a taste of Council life. He and Abby are given a warning.

The third day of Marcus’s work experience he was gathering inventory data from Factory Station and creating a report for Jaha. It was easy to remember how to create graphs now because all he had to do was picture Abby as she leant across him and he could see the button she’d pressed. There were probably more graphs and charts than necessary in his report. At noon he sent the report to Jaha and watched with anticipation as he read it while nibbling on a protein bar. Marcus pretended to be engrossed in something else when he saw Jaha push back his chair and get up.

“This is good, Kane.”

Marcus looked up to see Jaha standing in front of his station looking down on him. Marcus stood. “Thank you.”

Jaha sniffed, contemplating him. Marcus stood straight, didn’t speak. Something was going to happen, he could tell. Jaha was debating with himself, trying to come to a decision.

“How would you like to present your findings to a Council meeting this afternoon?”

Marcus was instantly excited at the thought. Attending a Council meeting was a great honour and presenting to them even more so. Jaha must really think he had something.

“I would be honoured,” he said.

“Good,” replied Jaha, nodding. “A summary will suffice; no more than two minutes.”

“I’ll get on it.” He sat back down, clicked on the mouse with shaking fingers and opened up his report. This was a great opportunity to impress the most important people on the Ark. He mustn’t screw it up.

At the appointed time he followed Jaha down the hallway that led to the Government part of Go-Sci. He was hopeful he’d get to watch all the Council proceedings but when they arrived, they stood outside the door and waited.

“Your father is one of the Councillors, is that right?” said Marcus.

“Yes. He was Chief Engineer before that, like Abby’s father is now, and one day I hope to be.”

“Abby’s father’s not a Councillor, though, is he?” Marcus was suddenly worried that he’d missed something in Poli-Sci, where he’d learned the names and roles of all the important people on the Ark and committed them to memory in case it was ever useful, and Mr Walters would be at the meeting.

“No, though one day he will be, once a position becomes available. There’s a rumour he’s going to stand at the next election.”

“I see. Generally speaking, people follow their parents into their professions, don’t they, especially here in Go-Sci.”

“Only if they have the aptitude. I don’t know Abby well, but she could be Chief Engineer one day, if I don’t beat her to it.” He smiled, but there was no warmth or humour behind it. Jaha had been generous to Marcus so far, but he suspected he’d be more ruthless if they were up for the same position.

“Abby wants to be a doctor like her mom,” he said without thinking.

Jaha frowned. “How do you know that?”

“Oh, erm, she just mentioned it when I walked her out yesterday.”

“Really? Why did you do that by the way? It was weird.”

“I thought it was the gentlemanly thing to do. I like to be chivalrous.” Marcus stared plainly at Jaha who stared back, searching him for signs that he was lying or winding him up.

“Right.”

The door opened at that moment which Marcus was thankful for, and he followed Jaha in, glancing around the room as he went. Everything was a kind of beige colour, from the walls to the ceiling. There was no natural light and the room was flushed yellow. Seven people were sitting around a seven-sided table. A circular map of the Earth was set in the centre, and bright lights lit the edge, reflecting an eerie glow into the faces of the Council. Two men stood against the wall behind the Chancellor, both tall with dark hair, their faces partially obscured by the shadows. It was thrilling to be here in this room where so many important decisions were made. Marcus tried to keep his face neutral, though he wanted to grin broadly.

Jaha cleared his throat. “Good afternoon, Councillors. We have an update on the inventory discrepancies on Agro Station. This is Marcus Kane, who will present his findings to you.” Jaha waved his arm at Marcus who stepped forward.

“Thank you, Jaha,” said Chancellor Sydney. Marcus appraised the man, having never been this close to him before. His fair hair was thinner close up, his nose long like that of his daughter, Diana, and his lips pale and chapped, as though he chewed on them a lot. “Kane, is it?”

“Yes, Sir,” said Marcus, stepping further into the light. “It’s an honour to be here.”

“Yes, yes. Let’s have it then.”

Marcus read his summary in a clear voice. When he’d finished he looked around, looking for their response, which he expected would be positive.

“Hmmm,” said Chancellor Sydney. “It’s your contention that there is a criminal reason for this discrepancy?”

“I can’t say why the discrepancy exists, only that it does. A thorough investigation and interrogation of the people involved is the best way to find out why,” replied Marcus confidently. “Sir,” he added.

“Yes. Quite.” The Chancellor’s lips twitched into something that Marcus thought could be the start of a smile which he then thought better of and stopped from spreading. “Well, perhaps you’d better order that, Kane.”

Marcus was taken aback. “Erm, I...”

“Thank you for your time, Sir,” said Jaha, pulling Marcus backwards.

“Just a moment,” said a voice from the shadows as Marcus and Jaha were about to leave. One of the men who was leaning against the wall stepped forward. He was tall with dark brown hair flecked with grey, and deep brown eyes. He looked vaguely familiar, but Marcus couldn’t place him. “I’d like to talk to the boy when we’re finished,” he said, looking at Marcus.

Marcus felt Jaha’s hand tense where it gripped his arm. “Of course,” he said.

“We’re finished now, anyway,” said Chancellor Sydney. He banged the table, causing the lights to flicker. “Meeting adjourned.”

Everyone stood and filed outside, leaving Marcus, Jaha and the man with dark hair.

“That will be all, Jaha,” said the man.

“Yes, Sir.” Jaha glanced at Marcus curiously as he left.

Marcus stood in front of the dark-haired man with a feeling of apprehension. He had no idea what he could want, unless he’d been impressed with his presentation, and had some work for him. He stood straight; his hands folded behind his back.

“Your name is Marcus Kane?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“From Tesla Station?”

“That’s right.” Marcus was surprised this man knew where he was from. He really must have a good reputation. He swelled with pride.

“Hmm,” said the man, looking him up and down with a frown. “Do you know who I am?”

“No, Sir. I’m afraid I don’t.”

“My name’s Jacob Walters.”

The man stared intently at Marcus. Walters? Oh, shit! He was Abby’s father.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir,” Marcus said, using all the bravado he could muster to sound confident and unaffected.

“You know who I am now, then?”

Marcus swallowed. There was no point lying, not to a man like this who clearly knew that Marcus knew exactly who he was. “I’m guessing you’re Abby’s father.”

“Abigail. Yes, that’s right. And you’re the fella she danced with at Unity Day.”

So, she’d told her parents about that. They must have asked her, and she couldn’t lie.

“We did dance together, yes.” Marcus looked Mr Walters straight in the eye, not wanting to appear guilty of anything, because he wasn’t. Not really, except for kissing the face off his daughter, encouraging her to lie and sneak around. Oh, God! Did he know about any of that?

“What are you doing here?” growled Walters.

“I’m on a work placement, shadowing Thelonious Jaha. I was chosen specially by my teacher,” he said, to give himself legitimacy in the hope that he would seem like the kind of man Abby’s father would want his daughter to spend time with.

“Were you?” said Walters, his gaze never wavering from Marcus.

“Yes. I’m the best in my class.”

“And not shy to say so.” Walters curled his lip in the same way Abby had when she’d first seen Marcus, and he had the same reaction, his limbs turning liquid, although the effect wasn’t pleasant like it had been when Abby had looked at him.

“I want to be the best I can be.”

“I understand you have ambitions, want to be in the Guard?”

“I have been accepted into the apprentice scheme as long as I get the necessary grades, which I will.”

Walters walked closer to Marcus, who somehow stood his ground even though he didn’t know how his watery legs were holding him up.

“My daughter has a bright future ahead of her. She’s destined for high office, maybe even Chancellor one day.”

“I don’t doubt that, Sir. She’s very clever.”

“YOU don’t know how clever Abigail is. YOU don’t comment on her at all.”

He was so close now Marcus could smell the algae soup he must have had for lunch on his breath.

“I...”

“I don’t want her distracted. I don’t want someone like you anywhere near her.”

“Someone like me?” said Marcus with a frown, his outrage at the slur getting the better of him.

“Do you understand me?”

“Sir, with all respect, Abby...gail is capable of making her own decisions.”

Walters narrowed his eyes; his face was white with a simmering anger. “She’s fourteen years old.”

“I know. I’m not...there’s nothing.”

“You’re right; there’s nothing, because you won’t be seeing her.”

“I’m just here for my placement,” said Marcus, deciding deflection was the best policy. He didn’t want to admit anything that would get Abby into trouble.

Walters stared for an interminably long second at Marcus, then he straightened up, letting out a loud breath. “Good. Make sure it stays that way.”

Marcus nodded. “Yes, Sir.” He thought Walters would go, but instead he perched on the edge of the table and contemplated Marcus but with a less threatening look than before.

“Your summary was good. You work hard, keep your nose clean, do what your superiors tell you and maybe you’ll get somewhere.”

“Thank you, Sir,” said Marcus, shocked and overwhelmed at the man’s words.

“My advice to you, son, is not to poke any bears along the way.”

He stood then, leaned into Marcus once more, and then shook his head as though he couldn’t believe what he was looking at. The threat in his words was unmistakeable though. Marcus must do what he wanted regarding Abby or his future was over before it had begun.

Walters left, and Marcus slumped into one of the chairs. His emotions were in a spin, going from high because of the success of his reporting and his first presentation to the Council, and low because Abby’s father had banned him from seeing her. If Marcus disobeyed that order, he’d be lucky to get his apprenticeship in the Guard. He might end up working at the power station like his dad. There was nothing wrong with that life, but it wasn’t what he wanted. He was destined for good things too, just like Abby, but even though Mr Walters saw something in him, it wasn’t enough to make him worthy of his daughter. He’d bet a dollar to a cent someone like Jaha would be good enough, though.

He sighed, pulled himself up from the chair. Regardless of his own feelings he had to get a message to Abby, tell her what had happened so she could get her ducks in a row before her father got home and interrogated her.

When he stepped out of the Council chamber, Jaha appeared as if from nowhere.

“What was all that about?” he said.

“Oh, nothing really. He had some words of advice for me, that’s all.” Marcus gave Jaha a smug look to put him off any further questioning. “I have to use the Head; I’ll be back soon.”

He walked quickly in the direction of the latrines, and once there entered a cubicle and sat on the closed toilet lid before taking out his tablet and messaging Abby. He told her only that her father knew he was there but that he didn’t know they’d been seeing each other. He wasn’t about to tell her about his threats, not over the messaging system, but seeing her in person was now as risky for him as it was for her. He’d have to think hard this afternoon about how to accomplish it.

\---

Abby sat in her bedroom looking at Marcus’s message for about the hundredth time. She’d seen it while she was walking home from class, and by the time she’d reached her quarters her legs felt weak and her heart was beating out of her chest. She’d pushed open the door with trepidation, wondering if her father would be there, but he wasn’t. She typed a reply.

_I’m glad your presentation went well! That’s so amazing! Dad isn’t home yet. I guess I’ll have to tell him I saw you yesterday in case Jaha or Mr Rodwell have told him I was in Earth Monitoring. He doesn’t need to know anything else. I’m sure it will be fine._

_When will I see you tonight?_

_Abby xx_

She read her message over before hitting send. It sounded calmer than she was actually feeling, but she didn’t want to make Marcus worry. Barely a minute went past before she saw a reply in her inbox.

_I’ll be in our special room but only come if it’s definitely safe to do so and take the long way around. Wait until you’re sure he’s gone to work._

_Marcus xx_

Abby closed the message and opened her textbook. She tried to concentrate on her homework but she had one ear listening for the door opening and most of her brain was consumed with what her father would say, and what she would say to him. By the time she finally heard the swish of it opening she was in a state of such high anticipation she felt weak. A few seconds later there was a knock on her door.

“Come in!” she said as cheerfully as she could muster.

Her father entered, came over to her desk and deposited a kiss on her head. “How are you, Abigail?” he said.

“I’m fine. How was your day?” she replied, like she always did. She didn’t want to bring the subject up so quickly but if she varied her routine he would know instantly that she knew he knew about Marcus.

“Interesting,” he said, sitting on the edge of her bed. “I met someone you know.”

“Oh yeah? Who?”

“That young man you danced with at Unity Day. Marcus Kane.”

Abby willed herself not to redden, but she could already feel the heat starting to build. “Oh, yes. He’s working in Go-Sci.”

“You know that already?”

Her dad looked surprised, so she figured no one had told him that part. She probably could have stayed quiet, but then if he’d found out and she hadn’t told him it would be far worse. God, this was so hard!

“I bumped into him yesterday when I went for some data. He’s working with Jaha.” Tell the truth as much as possible, that was the way to get through this.

“That’s right, yes.” Jacob looked closely at her, and Abby tried not to wilt under his scrutiny.

“Where did you see him?” she said, trying to think of the question she would naturally ask if she didn’t already know all this.

“He gave a presentation to the Council.”

“Oh, cool!” she said.

“Yes.” Jacob’s dark eyes that were so like her own searched her face, a soft frown forming on his brow. “Did you talk to him?”

“Yeah, a bit. He and Jaha showed me the data I needed.”

Jacob nodded. “So there’s no need to see him again, then.” It was a statement, not a question. More like an instruction.

“No,” said Abby quietly.

“Good girl.” Jacob stood, walked over to Abby and kissed her forehead. “What’s your homework?” he said, peering over her shoulder at her datapad.

“Cell structure.”

“Aah. Your mom’s area, not mine.” He stood straight, walked over to the door where he paused. “You have a big future, Abigail. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, dad. I know.”

“Okay. I’ll come back in before I go back to work.” He left, closing the door behind him.

Abby let out a sigh of relief tinged with frustration. She already knew he didn’t think much of Marcus, and that opinion clearly hadn’t changed even though he’d met him. He didn’t want her seeing him, but he’d probably be like that no matter who it was. She wasn’t going to stop just because her dad wanted her to. She’d just have to be extra careful.

She waited half an hour after her father kissed her goodbye before leaving their quarters and walking a circuitous route to the room in Sector 2b. She pushed open the door not bothering to knock. Marcus was lying on the sofa, his long body stretched out, his arms pillowing his head. She got a glimpse of flat stomach and olive brown skin where his black t-shirt rose above his jeans before he jumped up and came over to her, enveloping her in a hug.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi,” Marcus replied, and then his lips were on hers and they were kissing like there was nothing else in the world, their arms wrapped tight around each other. Abby was hot all over when they parted, and Marcus was flushed pink. He sighed heavily.

“What’s the matter?” said Abby.

Marcus led her to the sofa and they sat looking at each other. He took her hands in his and Abby felt nervous. Had meeting her dad been too much for him? He probably didn’t want all the complications that came with dating a not-quite-fifteen-year-old. She sat still, waiting for him to speak, her heart racing.

“What did your dad say to you?” he asked.

“Nothing really, just that he’d seen you. I said I had bumped into you yesterday and you’d helped me with the data I wanted.” She left out what he’d said about not needing to see Marcus again.

“So, he was okay, really? He wasn’t mad or anything?”

“No. He was fine.”

Marcus nodded. “That’s good,” he said, smiling gently.

“Did he say anything to you?”

Marcus pursed his lips, sucking in the top one so that it almost disappeared. “He said I wasn’t to see you.”

“Oh, no!” said Abby, clutching Marcus’s hands tighter.

“Yeah, and, erm, he kind of intimated that I wouldn’t have much of a future if I ignored his wishes.”

“He threatened to kill you?” Abby was astonished her gentle father would say such a thing to Marcus or anyone.

“No, no. He meant my career. He said I could get somewhere if I worked hard but not if I caused trouble.”

“Oh. I see.” Abby looked down at their joined hands, at Marcus’s long fingers that were caressing hers. A tear dripped onto them. Why would her father do this? Why would he threaten Marcus?

“Hey, don’t cry.” Marcus lifted her chin, wiped her tears away with his thumb.

“I’m sorry, it’s just... that’s it. That’s it, isn’t it? I... I don’t want to never see you again.” She sobbed and Marcus pulled her into his arms.

“I didn’t say I was going to listen to him, did I?”

Abby looked up at him. “You can’t ruin your future over me.”

“I can do whatever I want. It’s my decision; I won’t be dictated to by him.”

“Marcus, no. You’re working so hard. You’re going to be Head of the Guard one day. You can’t risk that because of me.”

“We’ll just have to be careful, that’s all. We can meet in secret; it will be exciting!” He smirked at her, but Abby didn’t feel like smiling or laughing. She didn’t want to hide Marcus away forever; she wanted to be able to go to dances and parties with him, be his proper girlfriend. 

“If it was only me risking this I would do it; I don’t care about the consequences for myself, but it’s you! I’d never forgive myself if he followed through with his threat.”

Marcus held her face in his hands. “He won’t know. I don’t want to stop seeing you either, Abby. I can’t. I’m willing to risk it all for you.”

Abby’s heart thumped hard against her chest and her veins seemed to swell with warmth at his words. “Yeah?” she said.

“Yes,” he whispered. “You’re worth it.”

Abby let out an involuntary moan as his thumbs caressed the sides of her face and his eyes bored into hers. “Then we won’t get caught,” she whispered back.

“No, we won’t.” Marcus brought her lips to his and kissed her, softly at first, then with more passion. Their mouths were open as their lips moved against each other and then his tongue touched hers, sending a shockwave through Abby’s body. Marcus gripped her head more tightly and did the same thing again, probing her tongue with his. It felt so good, and Abby copied him, feeling the slippery wetness of his tongue beneath hers. It was a weird feeling, not unpleasant just strange, unknown, unprepared for. She was intrigued, though, wanted to see what his tongue tasted like, so she licked the end of it and Marcus jumped and gasped.

“Sorry!” said Abby, alarmed and embarrassed.

“No. It’s just. That was a bit... I guess I’m sensitive there.” He smiled softly at her but it didn’t make Abby feel better. The heat of humiliation flushed her face.

“I’m sorry it was gross.”

“It wasn’t gross! Maybe just don’t lick me so hard next time.” He moved towards her again.

“You want to do it again?” she said, astonished.

“Yes! Don’t you? It was awesome.”

“Yes. It was.”

“Just be gentle,” he said, getting closer.

“Shall I still use my tongue?” she said as his lips reached hers.

“Shush,” he said, and then he was kissing her again, and this time when their tongues met it was softer, and Abby made sure she didn’t probe too hard. Marcus was sensitive; she had to remember that. They held each other tightly, and Abby’s worries about her father and Marcus’s future melted away.

\---

Marcus sat with Abby in his arms, trying to calm his breathing after their kisses. He’d decided to try using his tongue because Sinclair said it was the best thing about kissing a girl and of course he’d seen it in movies when it usually resulted in lots of moaning and often led to other things. He could see why, now he’d tried it. It had sent waves of pleasure through his body despite Abby trying to lick him half to death. She liked to try things, that was for sure, even if she didn’t always get them right. It boded well for the future. If they had one.

He was scared of falling foul of her father, but the more he’d thought about what Mr Walters had said, the angrier he’d got, and the more determined not to roll over like he was his pet dog. His stubborn nature would probably be the end of him, but there was no way he was letting the man dictate what he should do. Marcus was his own man now, with a perfect girlfriend, and his dream job to look forward to. He had everything he wanted, and he wasn’t going to give any of it up.

“What are we going to do now?” said Abby, stirring him from his daydreaming.

“I still have two days left here. We can carry on like we are doing.”

“If my dad isn’t watching me.”

“He can’t watch you all the time.”

“I guess not.”

“Do you have any friends you can trust? You can say you’re studying with them.”

Abby shrugged. “I don’t really have tons of friends, only Aurora.”

“She doesn’t live here, though, does she?”

“No. There’s Diana, but...”

Marcus pulled a face at her suggestion.

“Yeah,” said Abby, pulling her own face.

“I don’t trust her,” said Marcus.

“No. She’s two-faced, plus her dad is the Chancellor, and he’s friends with my dad.”

Marcus thought about what Jaha had said about the Ark’s politics. It was all who you know and where you come from. Maybe he was kidding himself that he’d ever fit into that world, but this week had given him a taste, and he wanted it more than ever. He truly was risking a lot for Abby.

“We’ll figure it out.” He kissed her lips, felt that hit of pleasure he got whenever he touched her or hell, even looked at her. She was definitely worth it.


	7. What is Love?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby is trying to understand her feelings. It's Marcus's last night on Alpha Station, and Abby has a suggestion.

“Do you believe in the soul?” said Abby to her mother as she watched her suture a wound on a man who’d been in some kind of horrible accident on Factory Station.

Ruth glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

“Do you think there’s more to us than chemistry and biology? You’ve seen a lot of people die, right?”

“Yes,” replied Ruth, drawing out the word and frowning.

“Have you ever seen anything happen? Like an aura or, I don’t know, a feeling?”

“What’s brought this on?” Ruth finished closing the wound and put down her instruments. She turned to look at Abby as she pulled off her gloves.

“Nothing, really. I was just wondering why we feel like we do about... things.”

“Things?”

God, her mom could be infuriating sometimes, always answering a question with a question.

“Stuff like why we get sad or happy or...” Abby looked down at the surgical instruments, ran her fingers over the cold metal of the handles while she worked up the courage to get to the point she actually wanted to make. “Why we love people, or care about some more than others. What’s it all about?”

“That’s quite a range of subjects for one question.” Ruth looked closely at her. “Are you studying this in class?”

“No. I was just curious.”

“Well, what we do is driven by our chemistry and our bodies’ needs. If you’re talking about love or why we like one person more than another it’s about the need to survive and reproduce. That’s what everything in nature is designed for. Chemistry controls everything from hormones to things that make you feel good, like dopamine. You’ve read about that, yes?”

“Yeah, it’s what makes me want more fruit punch than I should.” It was the same chemical that made her feel good when she was kissing Marcus but she wasn’t about to tell her mom that.

Ruth laughed. “Your brain likes the sugar hit and tells you to drink more because it wants more.”

“Yeah. But people who are gay can’t reproduce so why do they still fall in love.”

“Who says they don’t want to reproduce? The biological need to reproduce isn’t necessarily the same thing as a physical attraction to someone. Plus a lot of how we are is also about the way we are brought up, values and thoughts and ideas instilled in us by our parents and peers. There’s no one thing that makes us who we are.”

“Liking someone isn’t just about chemistry though, is it? I mean you could be attracted to a few different people, but you only fall in love with one of them. Why do we do that?”

“Before the apocalypse there was a lot of discussion and academic papers on what makes us fall in love or like some people more than others. It’s not something magic like a soul or being soulmates if that’s what you’re thinking; it’s about ourselves, our genes, our selfishness. We like getting rewards, or our brain does, and being in love feels good, but more than that, if the other person loves us or likes us back then that feels good too. We like to be liked. It’s chemistry.”

Abby knew that many of the ways Marcus made her feel were down to chemical reactions. The adrenaline she got when she saw him or he touched her, the dopamine and cortisol from his kisses, but it felt more than that, deeper. She’d never felt like this for anyone else and neither had he. That had to mean more, didn’t it? More than neurotransmitters and hormones.

“I suppose,” she said with a sigh.

“Do you want to help me wash the equipment?” said Ruth.

“Of course.”

Abby filled the sink with soapy water while Ruth gathered the instruments together. They stood at the sink, Abby washing, Ruth laying out the clean items on a sterile cloth.

“Dad told me that young man you met on Unity Day is here at the moment.”

Abby felt herself blush, and she kept her head down as she cleaned. “Yeah.”

“Do you like him?”

Abby shrugged. “He’s okay.”

“Dad said he’s very good looking.”

Abby couldn’t resist glancing up at her mom as she said this. “Did he?”

Ruth smiled. “Yes, and very clever too.”

“He is. He’s learning all about the Ark systems. He says he wants to be Head of the Guard one day, but I think he’s clever enough to be in Government.”

“I see,” said Ruth quietly and Abby realised how much she’d revealed about her relationship with Marcus in that brief statement.

“I’m just guessing,” said Abby in a vain attempt to save herself.

“Have you seen more of him than you’ve told your father?”

Abby willed herself to tell the lie, but she couldn’t force the word out, not to her mom. She remained quiet, stirring her hand in the water searching for any remaining instruments.

Ruth continued without probing further for a response. “Well, I think when we’re young, our bodies are growing and getting ready for being adults, and our hormones control pretty much everything we do, or they seem to. We can often feel very intensely and emotionally about things and about certain people. Do you know what I mean?”

Abby could feel her mom’s eyes boring into her and she had no choice but to look up. She shrugged again. Ruth nodded.

“You’re nearly fifteen, and it’s only natural that you are feeling lots of things for this boy. He’s probably saying lots of nice things to you, making you feel good.”

“Mom, no, God!” Abby was mortified by the direction this conversation had taken.

“Sex is a natural act that we all want to do, and the closer we get to certain people the more we want to do it.”

“I... this is...” a nightmare, was what she wanted to say.

“I know I said everything is about chemistry, and sex is certainly a biological imperative as I said,” said Ruth starting to stammer over her words. “But it also has a psychological effect, which again is chemistry but nevertheless it can affect your sense of worth and your wellbeing and all sorts of things.”

“I know, mom,” said Abby, desperate to bring this conversation to an end.

Ruth put her hands on Abby’s shoulders, turned her so that they were looking straight at each other. “This young man, Marcus. I know it must feel like he’s everything, but you’re young, you both are, and what you feel now isn’t what you’ll feel for the rest of your life. You’re too young for the contraceptive implant, so you absolutely must NOT do anything to jeopardise yourself or your future. Do you understand me?”

“Jeez, mom, I just like... I barely know him.”

“I know you, sweetheart,” said Ruth, stroking Abby’s cheek, “and I know you’re sensible, but love, or what we think is love, can make us all do things or make decisions that we wouldn’t normally do or make. Promise me you won’t do anything you’ll regret later. He’s just a boy, and your dad was right when he said you have a big future.”

“You don’t have to worry, mom.”

Ruth sighed. “Promise me, Abigail.”

“Okay, I promise. Can I go now?”

Ruth straightened up. “Of course. I love you.”

“Yeah,” said Abby, practically running for the door. She paused when she reached it, a horrible thought hitting her. “Mom?”

Ruth turned and smiled. “Yes?”

“You won’t tell dad any of this, will you? What we talked about. I mean, there’s nothing to talk about, because I’m not... there’s nothing, but...” She trailed off, not wanting to talk herself into more trouble.

“This is between you and me. I promise.”

“Thanks!” said Abby, relieved, because she’d realised that she’d practically admitted to her mom that she’d been seeing Marcus and she didn’t want to give her dad any further excuses to get rid of him.

“But I want you to tell me, sweetheart, if you need anything, or you want to know something, or you’re worried about anything.”

“I will,” said Abby, having no intention of ever having a conversation like this with her mom again. She regretted starting it now. She’d just wanted to know more about what she was feeling, why it was so all-consuming, thinking there must be more to it, that she and Marcus had something special, were soulmates, and she’d ended up practically admitting to her mother she was seeing him and getting the sex talk. It had been bad enough the first time she’d had that talk, but at least that had been mostly biology and very abstract. This had been way too personal.

She hurried back to her classroom, wondering if she would still get away with seeing Marcus later now that her mom knew she’d been seeing him. Would she watch Abby? Would she check up on her? Crap! Why had she asked her mom? She should have found a textbook like she usually did. They never asked questions back.

She took her seat and opened her datapad ready for the afternoon’s lesson. Someone tapped her on the back and she turned around to see Diana looking coolly at her.

“They’re showing a movie in the cinema tonight,” she said. “Some of us are going. I’ve been told to tell you in case you want to come.”

“Who told you?” said Abby, ignoring the slight in Diana’s words; she was used to being put down by her.

“Aurora. Anyway, we’re meeting at nineteen hundred hours if you’re coming.”

“Thanks. What’s showing?”

Diana shrugged. “Who cares?”

Abby turned back, looked down at her datapad. This could be the perfect opportunity to be with Marcus without raising the suspicions of her parents. She opened the message app.

_Everyone’s going to see a movie tonight at the cinema. Do you want to go? Could be cool. Abby xx_

She checked her messages every chance she got, and half an hour later there was one from Marcus.

_I’d rather be alone with you. Marcus xx_

_I know, me too, but my mom and dad are really suspicious. I have a feeling they might check on me tonight. At least this way we can see each other. A xx_

His reply came back a few seconds later.

_Really? Bummer. OK then. Maybe I’ll ask Jaha and then it won’t look odd me turning up randomly. M xx_

Abby wasn’t keen on the idea of Jaha being there with them, but then Marcus was right, it would seem strange him turning up when he didn’t really know many people.

_OK. It will be cool. We’re meeting at 7. See you then. Can’t wait. A xxxx_

His reply was a series of kisses, and Abby closed her datapad with a happy sigh. As much as she’d like to spend all her time with him, it would be nice to go out and do something different. She rarely if ever got asked to these things, so that was an event in itself.

\---

Marcus waited impatiently outside Jaha’s quarters while the older man was getting ready. He hadn’t been invited in, which he wasn’t sure was a slight by Jaha or just an oversight. Maybe he didn’t have any manners, or maybe he had a father like Abby who didn’t approve of someone like Marcus. Whatever. One day Marcus would know everything about everybody on the Ark, would have a well-earned place on the Council. Maybe he should try for Chancellor and then he could abolish the nepotism that ensured all the power was held in the hands of the same few families.

The door opened and Jaha came out. He looked smart in a dark grey jacket that looked newer than anything Marcus owned and fit him better than Marcus’s jacket did. His short, black hair was freshly trimmed, and he smelled of something perfumed. He’d made a considerable effort and Marcus wondered who he was trying to impress.

He'd made an extra effort himself; had patched a newly formed hole in his black t-shirt, trying to do it as neatly as his mother would do. He didn’t think he’d done too bad. He was filling his leather jacket out better than he had when he’d first got it a few months before, and he too smelled of spice and hopefulness. He was meeting Abby’s classmates, some of them for the first time, and he wanted to make a good impression. She didn’t have a lot of friends, and he got the feeling she was teased a lot. It wouldn’t hurt for them to see she had the interest of the best-looking guy on the Ark.

“Shall we go, or do you want more time to daydream?” said Jaha, his voice jolting Marcus back to reality.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

They walked along the grey hallways that were the same no matter which station you were on. Did they have a space station-making factory back in the old days? Did countries that were mortal enemies like Russia and America all shop at the same place? Space Stations R US or something like that? Whatever it was, all the stations were in the same dilapidated state, with wall panels missing and cables hanging down from open ceilings. He supposed they didn’t have the materials or enough people to maintain everything. They were slowly dying in this Ark, and it was another hundred and twenty years at least before they could even think about returning to the ground. Would they even survive that long? Would they still have the equipment?

“So, how’d you find out about this cinema thing?” said Jaha.

“Oh, erm, Aurora Blake mentioned it.”

“Do I know her?”

“I doubt it,” said Marcus. “She’s my age.”

“Right. Nice looking is she?”

Marcus shrugged. “I suppose.”

Jaha nodded. “Playing it cool, eh?”

“She’s just a friend.”

Jaha looked at him sceptically but didn’t question him further thankfully. Marcus started to wonder if this was a good idea. He was excited to see Abby, but there would be so many people there, and Jaha noticed everything. How could he spend time alone with her and at the same time be in a crowd? It was only a day after her father had banned him from seeing her. Mr Walters would surely understand he couldn’t avoid Abby completely, but if he got wind of Marcus being close to her, kissing her... what then?

They rounded the corner and outside a grey door like all the other grey doors on the Ark stood a gaggle of young people all talking excitedly. Abby was amongst them, and Marcus’s heart skipped a beat when he saw her long, braided hair and her slim frame. She was wearing a denim jacket and grey jeans. He felt as fascinated by her as the first time he’d seen her. Like then, she turned, her gaze cool at first as she took in who had arrived, and then she smiled when she realised it was him, and it brightened her face, warmed his heart.

“Abby!” said Jaha, who must have thought the smile was for him, because he stepped forward, a similar smile on his own face.

“Hello, Thelonious. Hello, Marcus,” she said, smiling shyly at them both.

“I didn’t think you’d be here,” said Jaha.

“Diana invited me.”

“Any idea what the movie is? Kane here is clueless.”

“I think it’s called Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

“Oh, I’ve seen that before, it’s good.”

“Aurora said it’s kind of funny and scary in places,” said Abby, looking at Marcus.

“Don’t you like scary movies?” Marcus said.

“I don’t mind the blood and guts, cause I’ve seen plenty of that watching my mom, but it’s the waiting for things to happen that gets me.”

“That’s the best part!” laughed Marcus.

“Did I hear my name mentioned?” Aurora bounced into view, her long brown hair swinging from side to side. She was half dressed as usual, and Marcus made sure to keep his eyes on her face and not anywhere else in case Abby was watching him.

“We were just talking about the movie,” said Abby.

“Well, we’d better get inside if we want good seats. Me and you on the back row, Marcus. What do you say?”

Before Marcus could say anything she’d grabbed hold of his hand and was dragging him behind her as she headed towards the door. He was about to protest when he noticed she also had Abby’s hand. They looked at each other quizzically as they followed helplessly in her wake.

The cinema room was a long oblong with a low ceiling. There was no natural light and it was already pretty dark even though the lights hadn’t been dimmed. The chairs were scavenged from all over the Ark stations and were a mismatch from metal dining chairs to pilot seats from old drop ships. Aurora stood at the end of the back row, which was already filling up.

“You go first, Abby, and then Marcus can sit between us, like a thorn between two roses.” She pulled a face at Marcus and he pulled one back. He suspected she had a motive for all this so he played along.

They pushed in front of people who were already seated and right at the end was a group of three chairs with the end one already occupied.

“There’s not enough room,” said Abby, looking back at Aurora.

“There is. Move!” she said, glaring at the kid in the chair who promptly got up and shuffled along the line.

Abby sat in the end chair next to the wall and Marcus sat next to her with Aurora next to him. Jaha was forced to sit a few chairs further down as there was nowhere left for him. He glared at Marcus who shrugged in reply as though to say it was nothing to do with him. He was pleased with how things had turned out, because when the lights went down he’d be able to hold Abby’s hand and no one would be able to see them.

“Happy with this?” said Aurora, looking knowingly at him.

“Yes, thank you,” replied Marcus.

“You’re welcome,” she said, smiling at him and Abby. “Just pretend I’m not here.”

“Why would we do that?” said Abby, leaning in front of Marcus so she could see Aurora.

Aurora sighed and shook her head, a smile gracing her lips. “You’re a sweetheart, Abby, do you know that?”

Abby looked perplexed, so Marcus whispered in her ear. “She’s set this up so we can be together and no one will see us,” he said.

Abby’s eyes widened. “Oh!”

“Isn’t that great?”

“Yeah.” She smiled and rested her hand on her thigh where it touched his. Marcus put his hand on his own thigh so the back of it lay against the back of hers.

“This is neat,” he said. He looked around the room. He’d never been here before and he tried to take as much in as he could so he could report back to Sinclair when he went home. The screen was a series of monitors which he assumed were linked together to form one large screen. Sinclair would probably know how that was done.

The lights dimmed, and the screens flickered into life. The room fell dark and silent. He felt Abby’s fingers probing for his, and he grasped them, curled his own fingers around them and held her tight. He’d much rather be alone with her, but this had its own sense of excitement, an element of subterfuge and danger, the pleasure that came with doing something secret.

“Oh, Harrison Ford is in it; he’s handsome,” whispered Abby as the opening scenes unfolded.

“Is he?” said Marcus, waiting to get a glimpse of the man. He preferred movies with young, troubled heroes mostly, and hadn’t seen any of Harrison Ford’s movies.

“Oh, that was cool,” he said as Indiana Jones used a rope lasso to snatch a gun out of a bad guy’s hand.

“Yeah,” sighed Abby, then she gasped and clutched Marcus’s hand tighter as huge tarantulas crawled all over Indiana and his companion.

“It’s okay,” said Marcus, and he put his arm around Abby, drew her towards him. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he glowed with warmth.

Indiana Jones brushed the tarantulas off as though they were nothing more than an annoyance, and Marcus had a new hero.

Abby’s hand was warm in his and he loosened his fingers so he could stroke hers while they watched the movie. She turned to look at him, and he looked at her, and they leaned together in an unspoken synchronicity and their lips met and soon they were kissing hard, all lips and teeth and tongues, and the hand that was behind her shoulder was in her hair, stroking her braid. He wasn’t sure how long they kissed, but when they parted with swollen lips and pink cheeks, Indiana Jones was chatting up a woman in a bar somewhere in Nepal.

Abby resumed her position with her head on his shoulder and Marcus stroked her hair softly. She sighed, put her warm hand on his thigh where it burned with the intensity of a thousand suns. Part of him hoped she wouldn’t move it further up his leg because that would be awkward, and another part of him hoped she would. He sat in an agony of nervousness and anticipation, trying to watch the movie, thinking about Abby and all the things he wanted to do, and all the things he couldn’t do. Not yet.

\---

Abby settled closer to Marcus who was stroking her braid. He liked to play with it, to rub the strands between his fingers, poke through the twists. She wasn’t sure why, but he was a tactile person, always wanting to touch her, so maybe he couldn’t help himself. It made her feel good whatever the reason. She put her hand on his thigh to hold herself in place because it was awkward leaning against him across the chair, but she wasn’t going to move no matter how uncomfortable it got.

She stared at Harrison Ford as his face loomed big on the screen. Marcus had a look of him, now she came to think about it. Similar lips and olive skin, a long nose that curved slightly, furrowed brow and twinkling eyes that made him look serious and mocking at the same time. What would Marcus look like with stubble or a beard? Her heart fluttered at the thought. Would they still be together when they were as old as Harrison in this movie? Would Marcus look at her with eyes lined with age and laughter, would his kisses tickle because he hadn’t shaved for days, would he grow rugged, even more handsome? She sighed. She had her very own Harrison Ford. How had that happened?

She stroked his thigh as she thought about the future, feeling the rough denim beneath her hand. He groaned softly, and she looked at him. His eyes were closed, and then he sighed, put his hand on hers and lifted it, lacing his fingers through hers. He turned his head, opened his eyes and looked at her. Abby leaned in and kissed him again. Their tongues were getting used to each other now, and kissing like this sent shivers running through her body, made her went to press herself closer to him. She couldn’t, because the chairs were too awkward, but she was content as they were.

“I hope you’re kissing me and not Harrison Ford,” whispered Marcus when they parted.

His comment made Abby smile because of her thoughts earlier, and Marcus drew back, looked at her with mock surprise.

“I’d rather kiss you,” she said because it was true, and it was what he wanted to hear.

“Good.”

“What about you? Do you like the woman, Marion?”

“I only have eyes for you,” he said, the eyes he had for her boring into her own.

“You’re an idiot,” said Abby, laughing at his words but feeling warmed by them at the same time.

“It’s the truth.”

They settled into a pattern of watching the movie and kissing. Abby wasn’t completely sure what was going on they missed so much, but it didn’t matter. What they were doing was much more enjoyable.

Towards the end of the movie, the Ark was opened and light came out and everything was set on fire. Indiana and Marion were miraculously unaffected while all around them the baddies were on fire, their skin melting off them. Abby thought it was cool, although completely unrealistic as the structure of the face beneath the skin in reality was nothing like what was being portrayed.

“Oh, gross!” said Marcus, his grip on Abby’s hand tightening.

“Yeah, horrible,” said Abby, not wanting to mock his sensitive nature. “Creepy.”

“Yeah. Are you okay?” he said, turning to her.

She nodded, and he held her tighter, although she suspected more for his comfort than for hers. They sneaked in another long kiss before the movie ended and the lights came back on.

“That was awesome!” said Marcus, pulling his arm from around Abby and stretching his long body.

“It was!”

“You two have fun?” said Aurora, looking at them with a sly grin, making Abby blush.

“Yeah,” said Marcus. “Thanks.”

“Any time.”

They shuffled along the row and Jaha was waiting for them at the end of it.

“What did you think of that?” he said.

“It was great,” said Marcus.

“That part where he jumped on the bi-plane was my favourite. I’d love to fly in a plane, wouldn’t you?”

“Erm, yeah, that was cool.” Marcus glanced at Abby. She couldn’t remember that part; they must have been kissing during it. She smirked at Marcus and he smirked back.

“Some of us are going to hang out in the Mess. You guys coming?” said Aurora.

“Yeah,” said Jaha and Marcus at the same time.

Abby looked at her watch. It was nearly nine thirty, and her parents had told her to come straight back after the movie. “I can’t. I have to go home,” she said sadly.

“Half an hour won’t hurt,” said Aurora, grabbing her hand.

“No, really. I have to go. I don’t want to upset them.” She didn’t want to give them cause to think she was already betraying their wishes more like, but she wasn’t going to admit that to Aurora.

Marcus frowned at her but didn’t say anything.

“That’s a shame, Abby,” said Jaha.

“Yeah.” Abby looked from Aurora to Jaha to Marcus, all of them older than her, free to do what they wanted. She felt her age again, like she had in the observation room.

“At least you managed to get out,” said Aurora kindly, rubbing Abby’s shoulder. Abby looked at her, unwanted tears starting to form at the unfairness of it all. This was Marcus’s last night on Alpha Station, and she had to go home to bed like a little girl. Aurora winked at her, then turned to Jaha. “It’s good to see you, Thelonious. You don’t normally mix with the likes of us.” She led him away, leaving Marcus and Abby alone in the hallway.

Marcus opened the door to the cinema room again, looked inside and then grabbed Abby’s hand, pulled her into the room. They fell into each other’s arms, clinging tightly.

“I enjoyed tonight,” said Marcus when he let go. “Even though we weren’t alone.”

“Yeah, it was exciting,” said Abby, still feeling forlorn.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” said Marcus, stroking her cheek.

“It’s your last night.” Abby’s face crumpled as she looked up at him, the tears that had threatened before starting to fall.

“I know.” Marcus took her into his arms again. “We’ll see each other again soon.”

“When, though?” She hated how needy she sounded, but she couldn’t help it.

“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something, and Christmas will be here soon. There’s the dance. You’ll be going to that, right?”

“Yeah, but my parents will be with me.”

“Damn, yeah. Well, we can figure something out.”

Abby sighed heavily. “There has to be a better way.”

“At least we can message each other. That’s cool.”

“It is. I’m glad about that.”

They kissed, pressed tightly against each other. Marcus’s hands drifted from the small of her back to her ass and he held them there, not moving. They both seemed to stop breathing mid kiss. He was probably waiting for her to say something, to tell him off, or to move them. Abby stayed quiet, her heart thumping, waiting to see what he would do. His fingers curled beneath her butt cheeks, squeezed her gently.

She wondered if he wanted her to do the same to him, but she didn’t quite have the nerve. Instead she eased her fingers beneath his jacket, under the hem of his t-shirt, put her hands against the bare skin of his back. This was probably more daring, but because she’d done it already, albeit accidentally, it didn’t feel so bad. He moaned, kissed her harder, and then his hands were making the return journey from her ass to her back, and his fingers were probing beneath her jacket, pulling her vest from her jeans, pressing against her skin and she gasped with the shock and the warmth of his hands on her. He stroked her, the tips of his fingers beneath the waistband of her jeans and Abby pulled away.

“We should...”

“Yeah,” he breathed. “That was intense.”

“Yeah.” Abby was warm from head to toe.

They stood looking at each other. Marcus was smiling, and Abby smiled back shyly.

“That will have to keep us going until we meet again,” said Marcus.

“It will.”

“You’d better go; it’s getting late.”

“Thank you for this week, for everything. It was great to see you.”

“I’ve had the best time.”

“Me too.” Abby reached up, pressed her lips to his one last time. “May we meet again.”

She left him standing in the cinema room, didn’t turn back to look at him because she didn’t want him to see the tears that were welling in her eyes, blinding her as she walked down the hallway. If only he didn’t live on the other side of the Ark. If only her father hadn’t banned them from seeing each other. It was so unfair! The days between now and when she next saw him, whenever the hell that would be, already stretched interminably into infinity.

\---

The following day Marcus packed up his meagre belongings and left the small room where he’d had such good times with Abby. He still had her music cube, pondered what to do with it, then decided to take it with him for now. He could give it to Aurora to give her next time he saw her.

He called at Sinclair’s on his way home; his father wasn’t in so they were able to sit on the sofa in the main room.

“How was it?” said his friend.

“Fantastic,” said Marcus. He told Sinclair the things he’d learned about the Ark, and about his presentation to the Council.

“Trust you to practically become Chancellor on your first visit to Go-Sci!” said Sinclair, jostling him.

“Not quite, but one day maybe. Except...”

“Except what? You didn’t destroy anything did you? Not again.”

“No, but Abby’s father found out who I was and he’s banned me from seeing her, said he’d ruin my career if I ignored him.”

Sinclair’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. “He said that! The bastard!”

“Well, he’s trying to protect Abby I guess.” Marcus didn’t want to defend her father, but it felt disloyal to her to say anything too bad about him, even if she couldn’t hear him.

“Well he didn’t catch you doing anything, did he? He has no right.”

“We didn’t do anything, not like that. He doesn’t even know we saw each other every night. He just banned me regardless. Said he didn’t want her with someone like me.”

“Someone like you? What does that mean?”

“A worker, one of the underclass.”

“Snob!”

“Yeah.”

“What are you going to do?”

“We’re going to carry on seeing each other.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?”

“What do you mean?”

“If he can really ruin your future. Is it worth it?”

“Abby’s worth it.”

“You’ve only seen her a few times, though. You could get out now before it gets too complicated.”

Marcus stared at his friend, not quite believing what he was hearing. “I thought you’d be on my side.”

“I am. I’m on your side. You. Marcus Kane. Future Head of the Guard. One of us has to make something of their lives and it might as well be you.”

“You’re going to be someone too one day.”

Sinclair shrugged. “Not if my old man has anything to do with it.”

“When I’m Chancellor I’ll make you my deputy. You’ll be Chief Engineer.”

Sinclair smiled. “Not if you don’t make it that far.”

Marcus leaned forward, his head close to Sinclair’s. “I will make it, and you’ll be with me. You and Abby will be by my side. I guarantee it.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I guess we’d better figure out how to keep her father from finding out about you two, otherwise we’ll all be sewing uniforms in Factory Station rather than wearing them.”

“You’ll help me then, you and Kira?”

“Of course I will. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Yeah. We are.”

Sinclair settled further into the sofa. “So which base did you get to with Abby, then?”

Marcus laughed and play thumped him on the arm. “That’s for me to know.”

“That means you got nowhere.”

“You know what they say – you can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need.”

“I never understood what that meant.”

“It means I had a great time and I’m really happy.”

“Well that’s alright then.”

“Yeah.” Marcus sat back, his arms resting along the back of the sofa. “It’s all going to be fine.”


	8. Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby and Marcus pursue a long distance romance, and plot how to meet at the dance. Things turn bad for Marcus.

Abby sat in the Mess stirring her bowl of soup absentmindedly as she re-read Marcus’s latest message on her tablet. _Dear Abby_ , it started as always. He wrote so formally, and she loved it because it made her feel like they were characters in a great love story from the past.

_Dear Abby_

_I’m writing this in my bedroom. I don’t have a window so I’m imagining instead the view from our special room, and I’m imagining you sitting next to me. I was going to say that we’re looking at the view together, but we didn’t do much viewing, did we? The only thing I really want to see is you. I wish you were here with me now. Maybe not here, because my bedroom is tiny, about half the size of the room I had on Alpha Station, but being anywhere with you would be a dream right now._

_How did your biology exam go? I had my last exam today, so my future is now in the hands of fate, not that I believe in that. I think it went well and I’ve worked really hard so hopefully after Christmas I’ll be formerly offered the placement in Prison Station. Sinclair will be with me and keep your fingers crossed that we get placed in a dorm together._

_Only two weeks now until the Christmas dance! I can’t wait to see you. I hope it’s more than just staring at you across the room, although I’ll take it if that’s all I get._

_I miss you. I miss how you smell. Does that sound weird? I hope you don’t think that’s weird. You smell like a warm day, I can’t describe it any better than that. I don’t even know for sure what a warm day smells like, but I know that it would be beautiful like you. I want to kiss you so badly. We’re good at kissing, aren’t we? That last night, when you touched me, when I felt your hands on my back, that was so nice. Really nice. I think about that a lot. I think about you a lot. All the time._

_We still need to figure out how we can see each other at the dance without your dad knowing. Has your big, beautiful brain had any ideas yet? Aurora is primed and ready to help us. We just need to decide what to do._

_I’m going to send this now because I need to get some sleep. I’m going to hope I dream about you._

_Love_

_Marcus xxx_

Abby read the message again, lingering over the parts where he said she was beautiful and how she smelled and how she made him feel, her pulse racing at his words. The message had come through late last night when she was having one last check before falling asleep and she’d lain awake for ages afterwards, conjuring up the night in the cinema, trying to see herself through his eyes. She didn’t have to imagine how good it had felt for him when she’d touched him, because she’d felt the same when he’d boldly put his hands on her. She felt guilty about the way it made her feel when she thought about that, but it didn’t stop her.

She sighed happily. She hadn’t figured out how to be alone with him yet. Her dad would be watching her like a hawk, especially if he saw that Marcus was at the dance. She wasn’t sure if he’d even let her leave his side. There had to be a way. There had to! She checked her watch; ten minutes before she had to be back in class. Just enough time to write a reply.

_Dear Marcus_

_It was lovely getting your message last night. I was in bed too and I fell asleep afterwards thinking about you. I do that every night, but last night was extra special. I miss you too. You’re right we are good at kissing. It’s because we have chemistry together, a chemical attraction. Some people have it but most people don’t, I think. That probably doesn’t sound very romantic but it means we were meant to be together and that’s romantic, isn’t it? I’ve been reading up on it._

_I don’t think it’s weird that you like the way I smell. It’s cute, and I’m just glad I don’t smell horrible! I like the way you smell as well. You remind me of the cinnamon biscuits we get at this time of year. I might get one tomorrow just so I can think of you, although Mrs Rodwell who serves us dinner might think it’s odd if I start sniffing her food! I think about that night in the cinema as well. A lot._

_My biology exam went well, thanks so much for asking. I still have two more and then I’m finished for Christmas. I tried again to persuade Mr Morgan to let me sit the pre-med entrance exam if I get top marks in everything this term, but he was non-committal. I just want to start it because then I’ll be a step closer to independence. Dad is watching me like a hawk and I am worried I won’t be able to see you properly at Christmas. I haven’t had any ideas yet!! It’s getting so close._

_I’m glad your exam went well. I know you will get into the Guard because you’re so clever and you’ve worked so hard. I have every faith in you. You’re going to be so important to the Ark one day, I know it._

_I have to go because I have another class. We must think of something! I can’t go any longer without seeing you properly._

_Love and lots of (very good) kisses_

_Abby xxxxx_

She didn’t have time to read the message over so she pressed send and hoped she hadn’t said anything too stupid or cheesy.

\---

Marcus was lounging on the sofa in his quarters watching a movie with Sinclair when his datapad pinged with a message. He picked it up, saw it was from Abby. He was tempted to read it, but didn’t want to with Sinclair sitting next to him, so he put it back on the side table with some reluctance.

“What was that?” said Sinclair.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Who messages you nothing?”

“No one,” said Marcus. “Can we watch the movie?”

Sinclair stared at him narrow eyed for a moment. “You’ve had nothing from no one?”

He wasn’t going to give up, so Marcus gave in. “It was from Abby, if you must know.”

“Ah, she of the sweet cherry lips and eyes like pools you could drown in,” said Sinclair mockingly.

“I did NOT say that!”

“Not to me, no, but I bet you say those things to her.”

“No way,” said Marcus.

“I bet you do. I bet you’re all ‘I miss you. I love you’.” He made his voice low and breathless as he said that, leaned into Marcus and puckered his lips.

“Shut up!” said Marcus, pushing him away, but Sinclair wasn’t moving, and before Marcus knew what was happening he’d got the tablet and was leaping across the room.

“Let’s see what she has to say,” he said, swiping the screen.

“Don’t you dare!” said Marcus, jumping up and running towards him.

“Ooh, very good kisses!” said Sinclair, before Marcus grabbed him and wrestled the tablet out of his grasp.

“It doesn’t say that,” said Marcus, holding the tablet tight to his chest so Sinclair couldn’t get it.

“Oh, it does. She thinks you’re a good kisser, Marcus, but then I bet she doesn’t have much to compare you to.”

Marcus ignored Sinclair, glanced down at the message. He couldn’t help smiling when he saw what she’d written at the end. She’d be responding to his comment about how good they were together. 

“You’re pathetic,” said Sinclair, grinning.

“Oh, and you never say nice things to Kira?”

“I don’t need to. She’s got all of this and that’s enough,” Sinclair replied, gesturing to his body.

“Then I feel sorry for her,” said Marcus.

“I do think it’s amusing that you’re pursuing an old-fashioned romance in this day and age,” said Sinclair.

“Who’s having an old-fashioned romance?” came a voice from behind them.

Marcus turned to see his mother standing near the door. He hadn’t heard her come in.

“Marcus and his girlfriend,” said Sinclair, to Marcus’s horror. He pulled an ‘I can’t believe you said that’ face to his friend and Sinclair shrugged his shoulders in bemusement.

“What girlfriend?” said Vera.

“Erm...” Sinclair didn’t elaborate.

“No one, mom. He’s being an ass.”

Vera came and stood directly in front of Marcus and Sinclair. “Do you have a girlfriend, Marcus? Who is she?”

“I’d better go,” said Sinclair, starting to move, but Marcus caught hold of his sleeve, pulled him back.

“You’re not leaving me,” he said.

“Who’s this girl?” repeated Vera, and Marcus knew he had no chance of lying to her or getting out of this.

“Erm, she’s called Abby. We met at Unity Day.”

“And this is the first I hear about her?”

“They don’t see each other much; she lives on Alpha Station,” blurted Sinclair.

“Okay, I think you had better go,” said Marcus, glaring at his friend. Sinclair didn’t wait to be told twice.

“She’s just a girl I met,” Marcus said, picking up his and Sinclair’s mugs so he could avoid his mother’s curious gaze.

“Abby from Alpha Station. What’s her surname, who’s her family, what’s she like?”

“Jeez, mom. What’s with the inquisition?” He’d known it would be like this which was why he hadn’t told her about Abby or anything in his life really.

“It’s not an inquisition to be curious about your son’s first girlfriend.”

“She’s not my first girlfriend!” said Marcus. She was, of course, but it made him sound pathetic when his mom said it.

“Oh, so you’ve hidden things from me more than once, have you?”

“I’m not hiding it from you, it’s just none of your business.”

“Marcus!” said Vera, looking wounded, which made him feel bad, as it was designed to do.

“Sorry. She’s called Abby Walters, she’s from Alpha Station and she’s nice. She’s a nice girl. She has a lot of hair. Long, brown hair.” He hoped that would satisfy his mom, but of course it didn’t.

“Walters? Doctor Walters’ daughter?”

“Her mom is a doctor, yes.”

“She treated your dad when he was ill.”

“Did she?” Marcus hadn’t known that. He wondered if Abby knew there was a connection between their families.

“Yes. Lovely woman.” Vera frowned. “I remember she had a daughter, only a young thing, though. Younger than you.”

Marcus coughed. “Erm, yes, she is a little bit younger.”

“How young?”

“She’ll be fifteen in a couple of months.”

“That’s young, Marcus.”

“Not really. She’s very mature.” That was the wrong thing to say because his mom replaced her curious look with one of concern.

“I don’t know about this. I hope you’re treating her with respect.”

“Of course I am.”

“Is she coming to the Christmas dance?”

Marcus hesitated. He didn’t want to say yes, but he couldn’t exactly say he didn’t know because of course he would know if his girlfriend was going to the dance, and if he said she wasn’t and then she turned up. God. He could kill Sinclair.

“I expect she’ll be there, yes.”

“Then I’d like to meet her.”

Shit. “Erm, I don’t think that’s a good idea, mom.”

“Why not? Of course I want to meet your girlfriend, and it would be good for her to see you come from a good home.”

“She knows I come from a good home. I’ve done nothing but sing your praises.” He’d barely mentioned his mom to Abby, but she didn’t need to know that.

“Still. I’d like you to introduce her to me when you see her at the dance.”

“I...erm...the thing is.” God, how to say this without it sounding bad. There was no way to do it. It was bad. “Her father, he isn’t keen on our relationship, so technically we’re not supposed to be seeing each other.” He stood and looked at his mother, waiting for the inevitable.

“Because of your ages?”

“That’s part of it. He doesn’t think I have any prospects.”

“What? Why would he think that?”

“Well, he’s the Chief Engineer. They’re one of the elite families. I’m a nobody in his eyes.”

“You’re not a nobody, Marcus. Your father was high up at the power station, would have been head of it one day if he hadn’t got ill.”

“I know.”

She sighed. “If he doesn’t want you seeing her that’s that, I suppose.”

“What do you mean that’s that?” Fear stabbed Marcus in the stomach, making him feel sick.

“You can’t see her if her father forbids it.”

“Oh, mom, come on! Not you as well!”

“I’m sorry, Marcus, but she’s fourteen years old, and her father has the right to decide what’s best for her.”

“It’s not best for her! We love each other!” he said, the words coming out of nowhere and shocking him because he hadn’t realised he felt that way until the words were out.

“You’ve known her since October! It’s barely December. How can you be in love?”

“Quite easily!” he said, crossing his arms and glaring at his mom.

“You can’t go out with her and that’s all there is to it. Put her out of your mind, find someone else. There are plenty of girls I’m sure who’d want to go out with a handsome boy like you.”

“I...” Marcus couldn’t find the words to describe his utter devastation at her statement.

“There’s nothing more to say, Marcus.” Vera gave him a stern look then took a seat on the sofa and flicked on the TV as though nothing had happened.

Marcus marched to his room, slammed the door shut behind him. He sat on his bed a pent-up ball of anger and frustration. How dare she dictate to him like this? He was sixteen! A man. He could do whatever he wanted and she had no right to tell him what to do! He opened up the datapad and started to type a reply to Abby even though he hadn’t read her message yet. He got as far as ‘you’ll never believe what has happened’ when he stopped and thought. If he told Abby he was banned from seeing her as well then that would be it. She wouldn’t be able to cope with lying to two sets of parents. It was best she didn’t know.

He deleted the text he’d written and went back to her original message, settling on his bed to read it. He liked the way she wrote, spilling her thoughts onto the page without a filter. When he read her words it was like hearing her talk, and he could imagine her soft voice and her big smile. He wasn’t giving her up, and hiding from two parents was no different than hiding from one. Nothing needed to change.

\---

Abby was nearing the end of her final lesson for the day when she noticed a message from Marcus on her datapad. She checked to see if anyone was looking at her, then opened the message. It was short and sweet.

_Dear Abby_

_I will respond more tomorrow, but I wanted to tell you that we will meet again at Christmas I promise you. I will make it happen. Trust me._

_Love and lots of (wonderful) kisses_

_Marcus xxx_

She read the message three times. Then she went to her last message to him and read that through, wondering what was in it to prompt such a heartfelt response. The part about her dad not letting her out of his sight she supposed. It must have upset him. She hoped he wasn’t feeling melancholy, but then no, because he wouldn’t have had such a strong reaction. His message was one of hope, designed to lift her spirits, and it certainly had the intended effect.

“Abigail?”

She looked up at Mr Morgan and smiled warmly. “Yes?”

He looked taken aback. “Erm. Can you answer the question?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear it.”

Mr Morgan frowned. “By which two processes does glucose enter cells in the human body?”

“Active transport and diffusion.”

“That’s correct, yes. Please pay better attention.”

Abby nodded and closed her datapad. She gave Mr Morgan her undivided attention for the remainder of the class.

\---

Marcus had no classes to go to because he’d finished all his exams. He wasn’t speaking to his mother or to Sinclair so he had spent all day in his bedroom, lying on his bed, raging at the unfairness of his life, thinking about Abby, and trying to conjure up a way of seeing her alone at the Christmas dance. He’d promised her now, so he had to make it happen. The trouble was he couldn’t think of any way of prising her away from her father. If Mr Walters so much as saw Marcus at the dance he’d superglue Abby to his side.

A knock came on his door sometime in the evening and interrupted his day of brooding. He didn’t invite whoever it was in because there was no one he wanted to see or speak to. He expected they would come in anyway, and they did. It was Sinclair, a sheepish look on his face.

“Can I come in?”

Marcus shrugged. He didn’t care either way. Sinclair closed the door and sat on the edge of Marcus’s bed.

“I’m sorry for letting the cat out of the bag about Abby yesterday. I didn’t realise you hadn’t told your mom.”

Marcus sighed heavily. “You know she’s banned me from seeing Abby now as well? I’m doomed.”

“Yes, I know, I gathered as much from your dozen angry messages last night.”

“Yeah, well, I was annoyed.”

“I understand why. I am sorry, Marcus. I really am.”

Marcus looked at his friend, who he knew was being genuine because there wasn’t a dishonest bone in Sinclair’s body. He was an idiot at times, but he was a good and loyal friend. He sighed again, just to emphasise the depth of his annoyance, and how magnanimous he was about to be.

“S’okay,” he muttered.

Relief flooded Sinclair’s face. “Oh, good. Good. Thanks.”

Marcus shrugged again in response.

Sinclair ploughed on. “I felt really bad about it all, especially when I read all your messages, and so I decided to put my thinking cap on, and I think I’ve got a solution for you.”

“For what?”

“For you to be alone with Abby at the dance.”

Marcus sat up now, interested all of a sudden. “Yeah? What is it?”

Sinclair moved closer to him, and Marcus bent his head so he could hear his friend as he whispered conspiratorially.

“It’s good, I think. Really good.”

\---

Abby had spent the evening prepping for her exam the following day and was going to have an early night so she’d be fresh and ready for whatever the examiner had to throw at her. She got into bed and picked up her datapad to check her messages one last time. Marcus had said he’d respond properly but so far he hadn’t. Her heart leapt when she saw there was one from him.

_Dear Abby_

_I said I’d make it happen and I have! I have a great plan for us to be alone at the dance. I think it’s best you don’t know what it is, because you’re too honest and I think those lovely pink cheeks of yours will give the game away if you are expecting it._

_All you have to do is show up looking beautiful, which is a no-brainer, and just let whatever happens happen, okay? It will all be fine._

_I can’t wait to see you again. Won’t be long now. If you get this tonight send me kisses so I can go to sleep thinking about them._

_Love and lots of (soon to be real) kisses_

_Marcus xxxxx_

Abby’s pulse was throbbing by the time she’d read the message a couple of times. They were going to see each other! It was mildly embarrassing that he didn’t trust her enough to let her in on the plan, but he was right, it was enough of a struggle keeping these messages secret. Her dad would see right through her if she had an even bigger secret to keep.

She hit reply.

_Dear Marcus_

_That’s so wonderful! I knew you would think of something you’re so clever. I had absolute faith in you._

_I can’t wait to see you too. Sending you all the kisses I have to give._

_Love and xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Abby_

She hit send then she read his message one last time so she could commit it to memory. She turned onto her side and thought about all the kisses they’d had so far, and all the ones that were yet to come.


	9. Becoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby gets ready for the Christmas dance. Marcus puts his plan into action.

The day of the Christmas dance Abby spent the afternoon in her bedroom with Aurora Blake, adapting her only dress so that it looked different from the last time Marcus had seen her in it on Unity Day. Aurora was an excellent seamstress and Abby was copying her method meticulously. She considered it good practice for her suturing skills, which needed refining according to her mom. They’d cut the sleeves off the dress so it had more of a vest-style top which Aurora said made it look sophisticated. Abby used a piece of the material from the sleeves to patch a hole that had appeared near the hem of the dress.

“Let’s see what you look like in it,” said Aurora.

“Look away a minute,” said Abby.

“You ain’t got nothing I haven’t seen before,” huffed Aurora.

“I know, but it will be easier to judge if you see the dress all in one go,” said Abby, which was a completely made-up reason because she just didn’t feel comfortable stripping down to her underwear in front of the other girl. Aurora was probably used to it because she had to shower communally with the other women whereas Abby’s quarters had a private bathroom.

“I guess,” said Aurora, before turning her face to the wall. “Someone’s going to see that body one day, you know.”

Abby felt herself blush. “Yeah, well not yet.” She pulled off her jeans and her sweater and slipped into the dress. “Okay,” she said, and Aurora turned back around.

“Oh, that looks good!”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Could do with one or two adjustments, though.” She got off the bed and came up to Abby, pulled the material around her waist tighter. “We could cinch this in a bit, make your boobs pop.”

“I don’t want my boobs popping!” said Abby.

“Yes, you do. I could put a dart in here and here and that would work nicely.”

“I don’t know...”

“It’s only a couple of stitches; we can take them out if you don’t like it.”

Abby stood patiently while Aurora pulled her this way and that and carefully threaded the needle and cotton through the material.

“There,” she said, standing back to look at Abby. “Perfect.”

Abby stood in front of her mirror, examined Aurora’s work. Bringing the dress in around her slim waist certainly emphasised her breasts. They looked bigger now, the tops of them peeking out above the vest. “Oh, I don’t know,” she said, feeling even more self-conscious than usual.

“What’s there to ‘I don’t know’ about? You look great! Marcus is going to love it, not that we’re doing it for him, we’re doing it for you, to make you feel good.”

“I don’t feel good, I feel ridiculous.”

“You’re just not used to showing yourself off. Have some confidence, Abby! You’re a beautiful girl. Let the world see it.”

The world was very straightforward to Aurora. Everything was about looking good and having a good time. Abby admired her and her philosophy but it wasn’t how she wanted to navigate life.

“It’s not me,” she said. “I don’t want to give the wrong impression.”

“You mean to Marcus?”

“Well yeah. I don’t want to, you know, advertise something that’s not for sale.”

“I can guarantee you he’s already been looking at the goods whether they’re for sale or not and thinking about them.” Aurora smiled knowingly making Abby blush again. “Don’t tell me you don’t think about parts of him like that?”

“I... can we talk about something else?”

Aurora laughed. “You’re such a doll, Abby, do you know that? I love you.” She put her arm around Abby, squeezed her and pressed a kiss to her head. “We’ve only brought out your natural beauty, okay. You still look like you; I promise.”

Abby looked again. It wasn’t as if she was spilling out of the dress like Aurora did in her clothes. It was only really the tops of them rather than virtually the whole thing. The dress did look good, made her seem less like a little girl, more like the adult she was becoming.

“Okay,” she said with a sigh. “My dad will probably say no as soon as he sees me like this anyway.”

“He won’t see you like that. Put your jacket on and keep it on until it’s too late for him to do anything about it.”

“He’ll get mad when I take the jacket off at the dance.”

“He has to let you grow up. Besides, it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission, that’s my philosophy. Now, what are we going to do with your hair? Braided or loose?”

\---

Marcus stood in front of his sliver of a mirror trying to encourage a few wayward strands of hair to fall into line next to the others. It was early, but he was already dressed and prepared for the dance later that night. He and Sinclair had an important stop to make on the way and they needed to give themselves plenty of time. He was wearing a dark grey sweater and his customary leather jacket, which was starting to fit him better as he’d been going to the gym daily to build up his muscles. You had to be fit physically and mentally to be in the Guard, and Marcus was determined to be in the best shape he could be. He didn’t believe in half measures. If you’re going to commit to something, then you commit all the way.

There was a knock on his door and his mother came in without waiting for an answer. It was a good job she hadn’t done that an hour earlier he thought with only a modicum of guilt.

“Jacapo is here,” Vera said.

“Thanks, mom.” Marcus smiled at his mother because being nice to her was part of his strategy of not arousing her suspicions so she wouldn’t ban him from going to the dance at all. In fact he’d been a model of good behaviour since Sinclair had told him his plan for the night, until he’d realised that that in itself was suspicious and he’d had to pick an argument just so he could storm off and slam doors and brood as a young man of his age should be doing. It was hard work hoodwinking people. The sooner he was out of here and living his own life the better.

He followed his mom into the living area where Sinclair was standing in the smarter of the two blue sweaters he owned. His hair was gelled so much it shone beneath the lights. He was shuffling from foot to foot and looked guilty as sin to Marcus.

“You ready?” said Sinclair.

“Yes.”

“It’s good of you to help set the room up boys,” said Vera, who had swallowed Marcus’s lie about why he had to leave early and without her.

“It’s what guardsmen do,” said Sinclair lamely.

Marcus frowned at him and Sinclair shrugged. “I’ll see you there, mom,” he said, keen to get out of the room before she questioned them further and Sinclair gave away the entire plot.

“I’m surprised you’re not better at lying, given the amount of things you hide from your dad,” said Marcus as they hurried down the hallway.

“It’s hard lying to your mom; she’s nice. She is!” he said when he saw Marcus’s grimace.”

“You don’t have to live with her.”

“I’d rather live with her than my dad.”

“Yeah, course. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. We’ll be away from them both soon.”

“Can’t wait for that!”

“Me either.”

They made their way to the heart of the power station and one of the hallways that ran like a spoke from the central core. They stood at a junction like Marcus had when he was first waiting for Abby on Alpha Station, and peered around the corner towards a room halfway down the hall.

“It should be any minute now,” said Sinclair. He had his back to Marcus, keeping an eye on the hallway they were in.

“Okay.”

“I got that thing you asked for.”

“What thing?”

“For Abby.”

“Oh, right. Great!”

Sinclair’s elbow stuck in Marcus’s ribs as he fumbled in his pocket for something. “Here you go.” He palmed the item to Marcus.

Marcus opened it and examined the contents. “Oh, perfect, mate. Thanks!”

“You’re welcome. That’s...”

“Shush, he’s here,” whispered Marcus, and he watched while a man came out of the room he was observing and walked down the hallway. “Okay, he’s gone.”

“Like clockwork,” said Sinclair as they hurried towards the room the man had left.

“Make sure you’re quick,” said Marcus as Sinclair went into the room.

“Don’t worry,” he said, and the door shut behind him.

Marcus tapped his feet as he stood with his back to the door. He swivelled his head from right to left constantly as he monitored the hallway for passers-by and the return of the power station worker. The man was always away from the room for ten minutes at this time of day. Two minutes to walk to the latrines, two minutes to walk back and six minutes to do whatever the hell he did in there, which Marcus didn’t want to think about. His heart was thumping in his chest because what Sinclair was doing behind the door would result in them experiencing prison station from the wrong side of the bars if they were caught. “Hurry up! Hurry up!” he muttered.

At last there was a soft knock on the door, and after one final look around, Marcus opened it and Sinclair came out. The two young men walked a way down the hallway before speaking.

“Did you get it done okay?” said Marcus.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“You think so?”

“I can’t be a hundred percent sure until it happens, but I’ve done the best I can.”

“Okay, yes, I know. Thanks. The things I do for love!” he said ruefully.

Sinclair shook his head, giving Marcus an exasperated look. “The things I do for you!”

“You’re a good friend, and this IS all your fault,” said Marcus, only half joking.

“Hmm. We’re even after today. You’d better make tonight count.”

“I will. I am grateful to you.” He ruffled Sinclair’s curls playfully and his hand came away sticky with gel. “Jesus, Sinclair! Have you put the entire jar on your head?” He held his hand towards Sinclair to show him the slime that was coating it.

“You know what my curls are like.”

“Yeah, I know, but fuck! This is gross! What am I going to do with this now?”

“Wipe it on your jeans.”

“I’m not wiping it on these jeans. They’re pristine! You don’t want to know what I had to do to get them.”

“You’re right I don’t.”

“Well, it belongs to you, so you can have it back.” He moved to wipe his hand on Sinclair’s sleeve but his friend was quick and ran ahead. Marcus chased him down the hallway, holding his sticky hand in the air. They were laughing so hard they didn’t see David Miller’s father until they’d literally bumped into him.

“What the hell are you boys doing running and screaming like children?” he boomed.

“Nothing, Sir,” said Marcus, who was knocked off balance and had to grab onto Mr Miller to stop himself falling.

“I expect better behaviour if I have the misfortune of seeing you in the Guard,” he said, pushing Marcus away.

“Of course, Sir. Sorry, Sir.”

Mr Miller nodded. “Be off with you.”

“Yes, Sir,” said Marcus and Sinclair in unison, and they pushed through a set of double doors and ran down the next hallway, before stopping to catch their breath. Marcus looked at his hand. “Well, that solved that!” he said, showing Sinclair his hand which was now virtually clean, the residue of Sinclair’s hair gel presumably transferred to Mr Miller’s uniform jacket.

“Oh, fuck!” said Sinclair, and then they both laughed so hard Marcus got a pain in his side.

“Let’s get to the dance,” said Marcus, “before anything else goes wrong.”

\---

Abby was flanked by her parents on the walk to the dance like a prisoner being taken to the airlock ready to be floated. She felt like she imagined she would if she was about to be executed – nervous and with sweaty hands and a racing heart. It was the anticipation of the evening, of seeing Marcus again, of being alone with him, of his plan unfolding, about which she knew nothing. She felt sick because she wanted it all to go well but didn’t know what she was wishing for.

“Are you okay? You seem very pale.”

Abby looked up to see her mom looking at her with concern. “I’m fine.”

“Excited about the dance, eh, pumpkin?” said her father, smiling down at her.

“That’s it,” said Abby, guilt flooding her and making her feel worse. Her kind, loving father who only wanted the best for her, and here she was planning to betray him. She pulled her jacket tighter around her and tried not to think too far ahead. Just get to the dance and take it from there. Let what happens happen, that’s what Marcus had said, and that was what she had to do.

The room was decorated differently to Unity Day. The Arkers didn’t have much in the way of traditional Christmas decorations, but the stations whose astronauts had celebrated the holiday back when Earth was habitable had brought decorations to cheer them when they spent Christmases in space, and these had been carefully preserved. The descendants of these space pioneers had learned to be creative out of necessity and the original paper and plastic garlands and baubles had been augmented to include ones made from scrap metal and anything else that could be salvaged.

Coloured lights strung along the walls made the usual grey of the room look warm and festive and the spicy smell of the punch and the trays of biscuits that were laid out on a long trestle table at the back added to the atmosphere. The Christmas tree that had seen much better days and was now more metal than plastic, like a cyborg from an old movie, stood lopsided and proud in the corner of the room. Abby moved towards it and her parents followed, still flanking her. She fingered a couple of the ornaments, memories of past Christmases coming to the surface from when she was small and beside herself with excitement. She was excited now, but for different reasons.

“She’s always made a beeline for the tree, hasn’t she Ruth?” said Jacob.

“It never fails,” replied Ruth, smiling lovingly at Abby.

Abby dropped her hand from the tree, looked around. She still felt the old frisson of excitement, layered though it was with the anticipation of seeing Marcus. Was this the last year she’d feel like this? Would it be beneath her next year like it was for most of her classmates? An excuse to party and drink spiked punch and do things in dark corners like they were doing at Unity Day? Sadness settled over her at the thought, nostalgia tainting the evening already with a rosy hue, even as she was living through it.

“Shall we get some punch?” said Jacob.

“I’ll get it,” said Abby, in need of a moment away from them.

In the line for the punch she fingered the necklace her mother had given her which nestled in the valley of her pushed up breasts. It was warm in the room, but she didn’t dare take off her jacket. It was one thing Aurora telling her to apologise later; she didn’t have to live with her father’s disappointment. Aurora didn’t have a father, or at least not one that she knew, so it was better to have a disappointed father than none at all, but knowing that didn’t help matters.

Abby looked around the room as surreptitiously as she could trying to see if Marcus was here. He wouldn’t want Jacob to see him so she imagined him lurking somewhere so he could see Abby without being caught. That thought gave her a warm glow, which made her even hotter. She hoped it wouldn’t be too long before the plan was put into action, otherwise she was likely to combust from overheating.

She returned to her parents in time to hear them muttering and her mother saying, “give her some freedom,” and then they saw Abby and went quiet, smiling a little too warmly as she handed them their drinks.

“Thank you, darling,” said Ruth.

“Seen any of your friends?” said Jacob, looking over Abby’s head to scan the room.

“Not yet, although Aurora should be here soon.”

“She’s becoming quite the friend, Miss Blake,” said Jacob in his disapproving voice.

“She’s a nice girl,” said Abby defensively.

Jacob harrumphed. “I hope she doesn’t take after her mother.”

“That’s enough, Jacob,” said Ruth.

“What’s wrong with her mother?” said Abby, who knew little about Mrs Blake other than she worked in Factory Station as a seamstress and was the source of all Aurora’s knowledge on the subject.

“Let’s just say that family has a reputation,” he said.

Abby knew what that meant. Aurora had a “reputation” amongst Abby’s classmates. It meant she had sex with boys she wasn’t dating or planning to marry. It was frowned upon, although nobody said the boys she did this with had a “reputation.” Somehow it was okay for them. Abby loved Aurora but she didn’t want a reputation like hers; it coloured peoples’ thoughts about you, made it what defined you, and few people saw the kind girl, the one who would do anything for you, who didn’t belittle you or treat you like a nuisance. No one bothered to look for that girl.

“She’s been very kind to me,” Abby said, feeling like she would be betraying Aurora and her family if she didn’t support her.

“Just don’t let her influence you,” replied Jacob.

Had her father always been this judgemental, or was it a recent thing since Abby had grown up and started showing some independence? She had half a mind to unbutton her jacket and parade what Aurora called her eye-popping boobs in front of him. What would he say to that! She had one hand on the top button when her mom spoke.

“Abigail knows her own mind, Jacob,” said Ruth. “I’m quite sure no one will influence her unless she wants them to.”

Abby removed her hand from the button. Angering him now might lead to being sent back home and that would be the end of everything. She turned away from her father, sipped her punch and looked around the room. People were dancing already, all kinds of people, in groups and pairs, some alone. She wanted to dance but there was no one to do it with. She could do it alone, she supposed, but that would take a leap in confidence she didn’t quite have the strength to make. Not yet.

As she watched the crowd a woman crossed the floor, her eyes fixed on Abby. She was short and softly plump with red hair and a curious smile. Abby didn’t know her. She looked around, but there was no one behind her except her parents. The woman walked right up to Abby, smiled at her, then moved behind and approached her parents.

“It’s Doctor Walters, isn’t it?” she said. “I hope you don’t mind me approaching you. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“I am Doctor Walters, yes. You’re... Mrs Kane, is that right?”

Abby froze at her words. Mrs Kane? Marcus’s mom? What on earth? She turned slowly so as not to look too eager. Her father glanced at her and Abby didn’t know what to do, how to react, so she glanced back at him, then turned her attention to her mom and Mrs Kane, which was surely the polite thing to do.

“Vera, yes,” Mrs Kane was saying. “You treated my husband a few years ago.”

“William. I remember. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for him.”

“Oh, you did enough. You were very kind.”

“Thank you.”

Abby examined Mrs Kane in detail while she was talking to her mom. She looked nothing like Marcus, was in fact the opposite of him in every way! He was tall and lean and she was short and built for comfort, which was how Mr Rodwell sometimes described his wife and which always amused Abby as she then imagined Mr Rodwell reclining on his wife at the end of the day, his head on her ample bosom. Marcus had dark brown eyes and his mom’s eyes looked green. Her face was pale except for the rouge she’d put on her cheeks, and Marcus had skin that was usually termed olive, although Abby had never understood that description, because olive was usually paired with green. Olive green, like the uniforms soldiers wore in the old days. Marcus’s skin was a warm shade of brown and definitely not green. He must have inherited everything from his dad.

“Yes, this is Abigail,” Abby heard her mom say, jolting her out of her daydream about Marcus’s skin.

“She’s a lot bigger than when I last saw her,” said Mrs Kane, her smile bathing Abby in a warm glow.

“Mrs Kane is an old patient of mine,” said Ruth to Abby.

“Pleased to meet you.” She held out her hand to Mrs Kane and the woman took it, holding onto her with a warm, firm grip.

“What a pretty girl you are,” she said.

“Thank you,” said Abby, the familiar heat warming her cheeks.

Mrs Kane still gripped her hand. She ran her eyes over Abby, from top to bottom and then back again. She nodded, and Abby wasn’t sure if it was approval of what she saw or that her suspicions about her were confirmed. Did she know who she was? Marcus had never really mentioned his mom, but he must have told her about Abby, surely? Had he told her he wasn’t allowed to see Abby, or had he pretended all was well? Abby was suddenly gripped with a fear that Mrs Kane was going to let something slip and everything would unravel.

“I met your son recently,” said Jacob, causing Abby’s heart to thump in her chest.

“My Marcus?”

“Yes. He did a presentation to the Council at which I was present.”

“Oh, yes. He was full of that when he came home. I think he’d like to be Chancellor one day. He’s certainly clever enough,” Mrs Kane gave Jacob a look that Abby thought was one of challenge. Interesting.

“I’m sure he’ll do well if he puts his mind to it,” Jacob replied.

“He always puts his mind to it. The Kanes are hard workers.” Mrs Kane held her chin in the air in the same manner Marcus had when Abby had first seen him in this very room. So, there were similarities between them, just not obvious ones.

“I’m sure you are,” Jacob said tightly.

Abby was barely able to breathe as she waited for her relationship with Marcus to come up in the conversation, but there was only a tense silence, and then Mrs Kane smiled again.

“Well, it was nice to see you again Doctor Walters, and to meet you Abigail.” She reached out and stroked Abby’s hair softly, smiled, and then turned and headed back across the room.

“What the hell was that about?” said Jacob.

“She just wanted to say hello,” said Ruth calmly.

“Seems like an odd coincidence to me.” He fixed Abby with a quizzical look. “You’re not seeing that boy, are you? Her son.”

“I didn’t even know she was his mother,” replied Abby, which didn’t answer his question but seemed to satisfy him nevertheless.

“Hmm. Good.”

Abby searched the room for Mrs Kane and found her standing near the far wall. She was looking at Abby. They stared at each other, and Abby smiled. Mrs Kane smiled back. What was going on?


	10. Getting Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby and Marcus finally spend time alone at the Christmas party.

Marcus stood behind a pillar and watched open-mouthed as his mother crossed the dance floor and went straight up to Abby and her parents. What the hell was she doing? Oh, God, she was probably telling Mr Walters how she agreed with him about banning them from seeing each other! He tried to focus in on the expressions of everyone in the conversation but it was impossible because they were right across the room and people kept walking in front of him. The temptation to march over there and drag her away was huge, but how would that look?

“What’s going on?” said Sinclair coming up behind him.

“My mom’s talking to Abby’s parents!”

“What? No way.”

“Look!” He pointed across the room and as he did so his mom stroked Abby’s hair and then walked away.

“What is she doing?”

“I don’t know!”

“Well, don’t worry. If all has gone to plan, Mr Walters won’t be a problem soon.”

“This better work,” said Marcus, scowling across the room at his mother who couldn’t see him.

“It will.”

It was ten long minutes before they saw the results of their plan. A man went up to Mr Walters and whispered something in his ear. Marcus and Sinclair watched as they conferred and then Mr Walters kissed his wife and Abby and left with the man.

“Part one complete!” said Sinclair triumphantly.

“Yeah,” replied Marcus, less than magnanimously. Across the room Abby was looking around. Her eyes rested where Marcus and Sinclair were standing behind the pillar and he had to summon all his will not to reveal himself to her. Not yet, not yet. If Mrs Walters looked at the same time, then she might realise something was up.

“You’d better get to the room,” said Sinclair. “Aurora will be here soon.”

“Okay. Listen, thanks for this.”

“No problem.”

“You’ll give me the bat signal if anything goes wrong?”

“I’ll ping your datapad so make sure your volume is up loud.”

“I will.”

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” said Sinclair with a smirk as Marcus turned to leave.

“My aim in life is to do everything better than you,” he replied and left before Sinclair could retort.

\---

Abby was still standing with her mom when Aurora appeared. She’d been asked to dance by a couple of classmates but had refused, not because she didn’t want to dance, but because she was already too hot in her jacket and was still nervous even though her dad had left to deal with an emergency on Power Station. It couldn’t be a coincidence that he was called away to the very station where Marcus lived, and she marvelled at the ingenuity of whatever he’d done to take her father away.

“Hi Abby, Mrs Walters,” said Aurora cheerily. She was dressed to impress as always in a low-cut grey vest and tight jeans. Abby realised she looked demure next to Aurora, even with her pushed up boobs and cinched waist.

“Hello, Aurora,” said Mrs Walters.

“Hi,” said Abby.

“I’m glad I’ve seen you here,” said Aurora, her voice light and bubbly. “Some of us are having a kind of girlie make-up party and I wondered if you wanted to come?”

Abby’s pulse started racing. This was it, the way out of here. How best to respond? Be interested but not over eager. Make-up party, though. It wasn’t exactly something Abby would normally be excited by.

“Really?”

“Yes. Kira’s going to show us contouring and other stuff. Should be fun.”

Abby looked at her mom. “Can I go?”

Ruth looked surprised, as Abby expected she would. “Don’t you want to dance and enjoy this party?”

“Not if all my friends are doing this.”

Ruth examined both girls. “There won’t be any drinking at this party will there, Aurora?”

“No Mrs Walters. I swear.”

“It wouldn’t matter if there was, mom. I’m not interested in drinking,” replied Abby, which was true.

“Hmm. Yes. Well, I’m on duty here in case of any medical problems, so I can’t come with you.”

“That’s okay. It’s probably really only people my age anyway.” Abby’s heart was really thumping now because she sensed her mom was going to say yes.

“We won’t be long, Mrs Walters, and I promise I won’t bring Abby back looking like a streetwalker.”

“I should hope not!” said Ruth. “Okay, then. Have fun, sweetheart.”

“I will. Thanks mom!”

Abby hurried away with Aurora before her mom changed her mind. Excitement and guilt combined to make her feel sick as they walked along the hallway and down the stairs to level two.

“Are we going to the special room?” said Abby.

“If that’s what you call it,” replied Aurora with a look that bordered on impressed.

Outside the room Aurora stopped and looked at Abby. “Okay. You’ve maybe got an hour, hour and a half tops. Your dad will hopefully be gone longer than that, but your mom will start to wonder how doing make-up can take so long. I’ll knock on the door when I’m ready to take you back.”

“Okay. Thanks. What will you do?”

“Don’t worry about that; I have things to occupy me. I won’t be far.”

Abby gave Aurora a hug. “Thanks for doing this for me.”

“No worries. Now come here, let’s get this off.” She unbuttoned Abby’s jacket and pulled it down her arms. “That’s better.”

Abby instinctively put her arms across her breasts which felt so exposed.

“Don’t do that,” said Aurora, taking her arms away. “You’re not showing too much, Abby, I promise you. Now go and have fun.”

Abby stared at the door when Aurora had gone. She adjusted the top of her dress, making sure it wasn’t too revealing, then took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

\---

Marcus stopped pacing the room when he heard the door open. He turned and there was Abby standing in the doorway. Abby with her warm smile and her twinkling eyes and her hair softly braided the way he liked it. Abby in a blue dress with a vest top out of which peeked the rounded forms of her breasts. Oh, dear God. Blood diverted from his brain to other parts of his body leaving him unable to do anything except look at her.

“Hi,” she said tentatively, and her chest flushed pink, which did nothing to help Marcus’s condition, but had the effect of bringing his attention back to the rest of her. Her cheeks were the same colour and she was holding her arms tightly to her side.

“He...Hi,” he stammered. “You look amazing.”

“Thanks. So do you.”

She kept her eyes firmly on his face, for which Marcus was grateful. He did the same, willing his body to relax so he could hug her without revealing the extent of her effect on him.

“Your plan worked amazingly,” she said, shutting the door behind her and walking into the room.

“Yeah. Seems that way. Sinclair did the technical stuff.”

“What did you do exactly?”

She was inches away from him now and Marcus still hadn’t moved, although he was desperate to hold her and kiss her. “Sinclair made something go wrong with a part of the system, nothing too crucial don’t worry, but it needs your dad’s code to fix it. I don’t know the details; he’s better at that stuff than me as you know.”

“Cool.” She looked shyly at him and they stood awkwardly opposite each other. “Aurora says we only have an hour and a half at the most,” continued Abby.

“I know.”

“I’ve missed you,” she said tentatively.

“I’ve missed you too,” he said, and then somehow she was in his arms and she was kissing him and her tongue was probing for his and there was nothing he could do about his body’s responses so he stopped worrying about it and kissed her back.

“That was awesome,” she said sighing happily.

“Yeah. God, I’ve missed doing it, I’ve missed being with you.” Marcus led Abby to the makeshift sofa he’d created in their room when he’d been on Alpha Station, and they sat side by side. He put his arm around her, kissed her soft hair. “You smell good,” he said.

“I was going to wear some perfume my mom gave me but then I didn’t want to smell different to what you remembered,” she said, looking up at him.

“That’s sweet. You can wear perfume though if you want. I’ll love whatever you smell like.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Then they were kissing again, and he slid down the sofa a little and they ended up lying facing each other, Abby partly beneath him. He stroked her bare arm, her skin warm and pliable beneath his hands. Her breasts were squashed against him, and he looked down on them, into the valley where her necklace nestled like a hidden treasure. He wanted to kiss their swell but didn’t dare. Instead he teased the edge of her dress strap with his fingers, his heart beating fast all the while, testing how far he could go. He managed to move it a centimetre and then she sighed and shifted and her arm went around his back to anchor herself. It felt good but he wanted more.

“Will you touch me like you did before?” he whispered.

“Under your sweater?” she said, opening her eyes and staring straight into his.

“Yes.”

She paused a beat. “Okay.”

For some reason he tensed as her hand moved down his back to the hem of his sweater and then her fingers were grazing his skin as she pushed the material up to gain access. She held her warm hand flat against him and then she started stroking him slowly, each pass of her fingers awakening sensors in his skin until all his back was tingling. He couldn’t prevent a groan from escaping. “That feels good,” he murmured.

“Your skin is so soft,” she said.

“So is yours.” He kissed her shoulder where his fingers had been a moment before. “Like silk,” he said, although he had no idea what silk felt like. It was what people said in movies. Her breath hitched and she pressed her hand harder to him. He was emboldened, and his next kiss was lower, and the one after that lower still. He managed to place one kiss at the top of her breast before she moved position so he couldn’t access it as easily.

“No,” she whispered.

“Okay,” he said, only a little disappointed because the memory of how her breast was both soft and firm beneath his lips would forever be with him. He thought that would be it, that their make out session was over, but she still had her hand beneath his sweater and she reached up with the other so she could kiss him and he settled into an exploration of her lips and tongue instead.

\---

Abby was tingling from head to toe after Marcus’s kisses. She’d realised where he was heading and knew she had to stop it but something in her wanted to know, just for a second, what it would feel like to be touched there. She wasn’t even sure if the physical reaction she was experiencing was because of his lips in such a sensitive area or because of the knowledge that his lips were there, that he was kissing her there. The daring of it was thrilling her still, even as they had swapped back to the safer territory of each other’s lips.

She wondered what it had felt like for him. Nice, she assumed, given the soft moan that had vibrated against her skin when he’d placed his lips there, and the hardness of his body where it lay pressed against hers. She tried not to think about that, about what it meant, because it was overwhelming to know she even had that effect on him. She was pleased that he’d agreed immediately to stop when she’d asked, and she put extra effort into stroking his back as reward.

He had a slim waist that ran with barely a curve into his hips. She let her fingers slip beneath the waistband of his jeans like he had done to her in the cinema room. His kisses grew more intense and he was breathing loudly. She wiggled her hand further beneath his jeans, and afterwards she wouldn’t be able to say what possessed her, other than curiosity, or losing her mind, but her hand ended up resting on his butt cheek and she squeezed him like he had her and he groaned and moved, and somehow she was lying on top of him her hand trapped beneath them, and his hands were on her butt too and she could feel every part of him moulded to every part of her.

“God,” he panted. “Oh, Abby,” and his hands were skimming the hem of her dress and pushing the material up her thighs and landing on her butt, squeezing her and she thought she would explode her pulse was racing so fast. Her mind was clouded, and it was like she was seeing through a fog. She felt strangely disembodied as though this wasn’t happening to her and at the same time she was acutely aware of his every touch. His fingers skimmed the waistband of her panties, started to slip beneath and that woke her from her trance and she pushed herself up enough to create some distance between them.

“That’s enough,” she said, her words coming out staccato because she was breathless.

“I’m sorry,” Marcus said, trying to sit up.

“No. I... don’t be sorry. I... I wanted to. I did it. It was me.”

“It was me. I get lost in you. I forget.” He sat straight, his hands in his lap.

Abby sat up as well, adjusting her dress so it lay properly again. “I get lost in you too.”

Marcus let out a shuddering breath. “I’m so hot for you; I can’t help it.” He turned his dark eyes on Abby and she somehow grew warmer than she already was.

She looked at him sitting with his hands covering himself and felt a pang of something. She didn’t want to label it guilt because she had nothing to feel guilty about and he wouldn’t make her feel like that anyway, but still there was something.

“Is... is it painful?”

“What?” he said, his eyes growing wide.

“What you’re trying to hide.”

“Oh, jeez!” he said, the tips of his ears growing pink.

“Sorry. I was just curious.”

“Yeah, erm, God, erm, no. No, it’s erm, don’t worry about it. It’s not painful. We men are used to it. I don’t want you to worry about it at all, okay?”

“Okay.” They both stared out of the window as another day dawned over part of the Earth. “You don’t have to hide it,” she said after a moment. “It’s natural.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Okay.” She moved closer and he pulled one hand away from his lap and put his arm around her.

\---

They spent the next half hour or so talking about exams and Christmas break and their annoying parents. Marcus was reassured that his mom hadn’t done anything destructive to his relationship with Abby; in fact it seemed as though she’d been defending him, and that was surprising and made him feel a tug of something that could be called love and respect for her, not that he would ever admit that to her.

He was acutely aware of time marching on; it added an urgency to their conversation and to the kisses they had in between. He was trying to keep his hands to himself at those moments, which was harder than he could have imagined. He stuck to touching her face and her lips and her hair and she did the same. He was glad she’d mentioned the elephant in the room, or elephant’s trunk. He laughed softly when he thought of that joke and then had to pretend he was laughing at one of Abby’s stories which wasn’t really that funny. It had been humiliating when he’d first realised she was all too aware of the condition he was in, but she was kind and understanding and like she said, it was natural. He struggled to control it, and things were probably only going to get worse over time, so best it was out in the open so to speak.

“What are you thinking?” Abby said, interrupting his thoughts, which was probably just as well.

“I was thinking about you, how lovely you are.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh-huh. I wish I could take you somewhere like a proper date, somewhere romantic.”

She snuggled closer to him on the sofa at that. “Where would be romantic to you?”

“Nowhere on the Ark that’s for sure.”

“What about if we were on Earth, the old Earth obviously, like way back before the apocalypse?”

“Oh, wow, that’s a good question.”

“Where would you take me? What would we do?”

Marcus skimmed quickly in his mind through all the movies he’d seen and the books he’d read. Women liked being taken for dinner and to a movie and getting chocolates and flowers, but was that what Abby would want? He didn’t know enough about her yet to make an informed decision. She liked studying and medical stuff and neither of those were romantic.

“Erm. I think if I could take you anywhere in the world it wouldn’t be a particular place, like Paris or London or New York. I think I would take you somewhere there were mountains and lakes and we’d take lots of different foods with us like sausages and bread and cheese and all the things we can’t get here. We’d sit by the lake and eat it and the day would be warm, nothing but blue sky above us and flowers everywhere.”

“I bet they smell wonderful,” Abby said.

“They do. They smell like you, like a whole meadow of flowers. I breathe you in.”

“Do you?” she said softly, her hand on his face.

“Yes. You’re intoxicating.”

She puffed out a breath and Marcus put his hand on the back of her head and drew her to him. He kissed her and she put her arms around his neck, her hands caressing the back of his hair. The kiss was gentle, exploratory, and they eased themselves down onto the sofa as one. This time it was Marcus who was half underneath Abby and she didn’t wait to be asked before putting her hand beneath his sweater and caressing his stomach.

“Hairy!” she said, curling her fingers into the soft dark hairs he had that formed a line from his chest to a place he would die if she went to. She wouldn’t, of course, but the thought was enough to make something flip in the belly she was caressing. He put his hand on hers, brought it out from beneath his sweater and pressed it to his lips.

“Are we still on our romantic date?” he said.

“Yes. We’re lying in the tall grass.”

“It’s getting dark and the stars are coming out.”

“The sky looks bruised,” she whispered.

“It’s the galaxy, the Milky Way.”

“It’s so beautiful.”

“We could lie out all night if we wanted to.”

“We could.”

“Would you do that? Would you lie with me beneath the stars?”

“I would,” she murmured, kissing him softly again.

“I love you,” he said, the words out before he realised what he’d said. He held his breath, because now they were out there, and they couldn’t be taken back.

“I love you too.”

“Good,” he said, and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

It was later before he remembered he had a gift for her. They were standing at the window looking out onto the Earth.

“I got you a Christmas present,” Marcus said.

“Have you really?”

“Yes.” He took the small box out of his pocket and opened it. “I asked Sinclair to make them for me; he’s good at this kind of thing.”

“Oh wow, they’re beautiful,” she said, taking the small metal studs out of the box and turning them over in her hand.

“Do you want to put them in?”

“Yes.” She took out the hoops she usually wore in her ears and replaced them with the studs, then turned her head from side to side so he could see them. “What do you think?”

“Beautiful,” he said. “Happy Christmas, Abby.”

“Thank you. I love them! Happy Christmas, Marcus. I didn’t get you anything. I didn’t realise we were doing that.”

“You’ve given me everything I need already,” he said.

There was a knock on the door.

“That’s Aurora,” said Abby, looking stricken.

“I know.”

They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed until there was another, sharper rap on the door.

“When will I see you again?” said Abby, tears forming in her eyes.

“Soon. Really soon. I’ll figure it out.”

He led her to the door and they stood on their side of it, kissing one last time.

“I love you,” Marcus said. “I’ll be thinking about you all the time.”

“I’ll be thinking about you too. I love you,” Abby said, and then she opened the door and Marcus caught a glimpse of Aurora on the other side before Abby was gone and he was left alone in the room again.

He lay on the sofa, pillowed his head with his arms and let his mind drift back over his evening with Abby.

\---

“I don’t need to ask how it went,” said Aurora as she helped Abby into her jacket. “Your face tells me everything I need to know.”

“It was lovely,” said Abby, who couldn’t stop smiling because Marcus had said he loved her and she’d said it back to him and it was the most wonderful feeling, like floating in zero-g, only the lightness was inside her. She truly felt like she would lift off the ground at any moment and disappear ahead of Aurora.

“Lovely eh? Did you get some good kisses?”

Abby knew Aurora was teasing her and she wasn’t about to give anything away to her.

“I’m not telling,” she said, and she traced the top of her breast absentmindedly, thinking about Marcus’s lips touching her there. It gave her a warm feeling all over.

“Oh!” said Aurora, who was watching her carefully. “You minx!”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Nothing, but I reckon I’ll have to have a talk with you sooner than I thought.”

Abby knew she’d blushed because heat flooded her face. “You don’t need to worry.”

“I’m not worried, but I want you to be prepared. Men are useless, Abby. A girl has to take charge herself, and I can tell you how to do that.”

“Not yet,” she said. She didn’t want a talk from Aurora because that would be beyond embarrassing, and what’s more she didn’t think Marcus was useless. Everything he did was wonderful and made her feel good. He knew exactly what he was doing.

“We need to call somewhere first, get some make-up on you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re supposed to have been to a make-up party, dummy, and from the look of you it’s obvious you’ve been to a make OUT party. Whatever lipstick you had on is probably all over Marcus, am I right?”

“Probably,” said Abby with a laugh. “You’d better make me look presentable then.”

“No worries there,” said Aurora and she put her arm around Abby. Abby put hers around Aurora and the two girls walked down the hallway and further away from Marcus. Abby hoped it wouldn’t be too long before she saw him again.


	11. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus starts his traineeship on prison station and gets a shock. He and Abby exchange heartfelt messages.

Christmas came and went, and the new year got underway. Abby expected it would be a year full of change in almost every way. She’d managed to see Marcus twice, once only briefly, the second time for a longer session of making out and tentative exploration of each other. She missed him so much it physically hurt, but there was little chance of seeing him for a while as he’d started his traineeship as a guard and had moved to Prison Station. That was nearer to Alpha than Tesla was, but he was under a strict regime that allowed for little free time. He’d been there a week already and she hadn’t heard from him. Would he forget her now he was with lots of other men and doing what he’d always dreamed of?

She’d taken to going to their special room as often as she could. She felt close to him there, fancied she could smell his cologne on the sofa where they spent most of their time kissing and touching each other. She was there now, doing her biology homework, when she checked her messages as she did on the hour every hour, and there it was, a message from Marcus. Her heart raced as she opened it.

_Dear Abby_

_I’m so sorry I haven’t messaged you until now, but they took our tablets away from us for the first week, I guess to make sure we weren’t distracted, and I’ve only just got it back. The first thing I’ve done is write to you. Thank you for all your messages, I feel so bad that you must have been waiting for me to reply and wondering why I hadn’t. There was nothing I could do about it._

_Forgive me? Xx_

_I miss you. I miss our room and what we do in there ;) I don’t know how long it will be before I get to kiss your sweet lips and feel your touch. I better not think about that too much or else, well you know how you make me feel._

_I’m writing this in my dorm. There are eight of us sleeping in this room and I have my own bed and a cupboard for my personal things. We keep our uniforms in lockers outside the dorm and they have to be kept clean and neat and the boots polished so much Captain Miller, who’s the senior guard, can see his face in them. If I were Captain Miller, I wouldn’t want to have to look at my face in them because he’s old and looks like he needs steaming to get the wrinkles out! It would be preferable to me if I could see your face in them._

_Most of the other guys are in the room now. I guess some are writing to their sweethearts too, or maybe their moms in some cases. I think Sinclair is asleep or something – he’s two beds over from me and I can just see the back of him. It was weird at first having to sleep in the same room as everyone else but I’m getting used to it now. You don’t have any privacy here AT ALL! Not even in the showers, which we have to share, and we eat together and do everything together. They say it fosters comradeship or something. I long for our room and for it to just be me and you._

_During the day I’m so busy I don’t have much time to stop and think, which is probably a good thing. So far this week we’ve mostly had orientation and tours of the Sky Box which is truly awesome, Abby. There’s row upon row of cells eight stories high and they’re in a big square that looks over this huge drop of seemingly nothing! It’s like that place in Star Wars where Luke and Darth Vader fight and there’s just this long column of empty space. Have you seen that movie? Do you remember that part? It’s just like that. It’s kind of scary because I wonder if people don’t sometimes just fling themselves off rather than go to be floated. I don’t know which kind of death would be worse. The cells are in lockdown most of the time, so I guess they don’t get a chance. Sorry, that’s not very pleasant reading is it? I’ll try to be less brutal with my descriptions!_

_After dinner we have to study. At the moment it’s all about Prison Station itself but soon I will have to learn all the laws and how to apply them. I could do with you here then to help me study, but I’ll have to make do with Sinclair instead._

_It’s only at night when I have some time to myself (apart from today when we have a study period and I’m using it to write to you!) and that’s when I think about you. I think about that romantic date on Earth we were having at Christmas, and sometimes I can smell the cheese and the fresh bread and the flowers. I don’t know what they really smell like but in my mind it’s the kind of smell like when they make a really good mushroom soup in the Mess and your stomach rumbles just at the scent of it and you know it’s going to taste so good. It all smells like that._

_On the date we’re lying next to each other in the grass and it’s so hot I don’t have my t-shirt on and the sun is warm on my skin but not as warm as your hand and it feels so good when you stroke me with your surgeon’s fingers that are delicate and yet so strong. You make me tingle all over – in the dream and in reality - and I get so hot for you._

_I’d better go because our study time is nearly over, and I should probably do some actual studying in it. I can hear you telling me off already if I don’t do it._

_I love you to the Earth and back, although if I had my way and we one day made it there we would never come back. Tell me everything you’ve been doing; I can’t wait to read it._

_Until we meet again._

_Yours,_

_Marcus xxx_

Abby was glad she was in their special room and not anywhere someone could walk in on her like her bedroom because she was hot all over after reading Marcus’s words. She’d grown confident in his feelings for her over the four months they’d been dating but it was still exciting to read his thoughts. He wasn’t shy about telling her how she made him feel and he was so good at writing. She found it impossible to write the way he did, the romantic words sounding silly when she wrote them even though similar sentiments were like poetry to her when Marcus said them. She sat back on the sofa and stared out of the window for a while before deciding how to reply.

_Dear Marcus_

_Of course I forgive you! It wasn’t your fault and there was nothing you could do about it. Please don’t feel bad! I missed reading your words, but I knew there must be a good reason. I never doubted you._

_It sounds SO interesting there on prison station. I’m so excited for you and all the new things you’re learning. The Sky Box sounds terrifying. I haven’t seen the Star Wars movie you mention but your description is so good I can visualise it. I would love one day to see it for myself, though not from inside the cells hopefully! Please don’t spare me the details – I help my mom with her patients all the time and I have seen some things that would probably make your hair curl more than it already does! You don’t have to worry about that with me. I want to know everything you’re experiencing._

_I can’t imagine what it must be like having to live with all those people all the time. I feel so bad about all the privilege I have. If I’m ever in charge of anything on this ship I will try to make things more equal._

_My life has been nowhere near as exciting as yours this week. Mr Morgan is still refusing to let me onto the Med programme early even though I got the best grades anyone’s ever achieved (his words) but he said that if I got more practical experience he would consider it for this September! So, I begged my mom to let me shadow her more often and she agreed!! Starting next week I will be working with her every day after classes finish depending on her shifts. I’m really excited about it and I’m hoping if I can prove how good my suturing has become she will let me do it on an actual person! Don’t say you feel sorry for that person – I can hear you thinking it!!_

_So, I will be busy too which is a good thing because I miss you so much and it’s torture not being able to see each other whenever we want. My dad doesn’t ask me where I’m going or what I’m doing since you moved to prison station, so I guess he thinks I’m safe from you! I think we should try and see each other as soon as possible. I don’t know how though._

_Your words made me warm too. I’m not as good at saying these things as you are but you know I like touching you as well. You have great bone structure and good muscles. I can feel them moving beneath my hands like ripples in water only they’re firm. I think it would be wonderful to feel the warm sun on my skin. When I’ve finished this message, I think I will lie here and try to imagine it (I’m in our special room). I don’t know if I would be brave enough to take off my shirt, although how else will I know how the sun feels...? You’d have to promise not to look. Yes, I already know that’s a stupid thing to say, stop smirking._

_I love you. My heart bursts with it – there, I said something romantic, don’t laugh at me. I know hearts can’t really burst with love, but it feels like it sometimes._

_I’d better go. I have more studying to do as well._

_Until we meet again,_

_Yours,_

_Abby xxx_

\---

“Stand straight, Kane! You’re not at home now lounging around wasting your life.”

“Yes, Sir, sorry, Sir,” said Marcus, standing as straight and tall as he could. He was a month now into his training and it wasn’t as though he didn’t know how to stand properly, it was just that Captain Miller could be long-winded and boring and sometimes Marcus found himself drifting off into a fantasy where he was a fully-fledged guard and he and Abby had their own quarters. Clearly it took concentration to stand upright because these were the times when he started to slouch.

“That’s better. Today, the best two students will be shadowing Major Wade as he processes some new prisoners. Unbelievable though it is to me, those students are Kane and Sinclair. Report to the Administration Centre now.”

“Yes, Sir, thank you, Sir.” Marcus wasn’t exactly surprised that he was the best student because he worked hard, but he was delighted to have been chosen for this activity. “We’re going to see some proper work at last,” he said to Sinclair as they walked towards the Admin office.

“I wonder what it will be, and what crimes these people will have committed?”

“Murder of their best friend,” said Marcus, jumping in front of Sinclair and pulling a funny face to scare him.

“Idiot!” said Sinclair, laughing.

It turned out that most of the crimes committed were a lot less interesting than murder and in most cases were so mundane it began to seem unreal to Marcus that the people were here at all. He and Sinclair had done worse things, especially the night of the Christmas party. They hadn’t been caught though, and these people had. Most of the crimes were thefts – of medicine, food, clothes.

“It seems harsh that the crimes are so petty but they’re going to get floated for them,” he said to Sinclair when there was a break between prisoners.

“All crimes are capital crimes, Kane, as you know,” said Major Wade who had clearly overheard.

“I know, Sir, but that last guy needed medicine for his son who’s going to die without it.”

Wade came over to Marcus and leaned over him. He was a good three inches taller and twice as broad. Marcus was intimidated but tried not to show it. He remembered what Captain Miller had said and stood straight, looking the man in the eye.

“And if he steals all the medicine so that his son can get better, how does that help the other people who need it? Who’s going to tell the next ten people in line that they can’t have their drugs because one selfish person has taken it all?”

“I don’t know, Sir.”

“You don’t know. You know nothing yet, boy, because if you did you wouldn’t be asking such a stupid question. What about the food Smethurst took? Who is he stealing that from, Kane?”

“From the Ark, Sir.”

“That’s right. From you and me and everyone else here. Let me ask you something. If we let Smethurst get away with it and he tells someone he works with and they decide they deserve more food rations than everyone else and they take it then what is going to happen to the food that’s left for the rest of us, those who are honest?”

“It will be depleted, Sir.”

“Depleted! So, you’re not completely stupid. It would be depleted, and people would starve, and then they’d end up needing medicines, but oh, no, we don’t have enough medicine because people have taken them and that’s okay because it’s only a petty crime. Have you lived on this Ark all your life, Kane?”

“Of course, Sir,” said Marcus, swallowing a laugh because the question was so silly. Where else could he have lived?

“And in all of your no doubt fun-filled sixteen years living on this Ark, have you ever seen more food than you can eat? Are there fields of crops floating out there in space? Animals walking around begging to be eaten?”

“No, Sir.”

“No. Because we’re in goddamned space, son, and we have finite resources, and if we start to run out it’s not going to be magicked from thin air because guess what? We don’t have air.”

“I understand, Sir.”

“Do you?”

Marcus nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“I don’t know what they teach you kids today.” Wade stared at Kane, shaking his head, then turned abruptly and left the room.

“That was intense!” said Sinclair with a half laugh.

“Yeah,” said Marcus, his own laugh one of more relieved nervousness than anything else. “It’s not as if I don’t know all that; it’s just you know when you’re told about it and when you read it, it’s so abstract. Then you see the people, their faces...”

“They should follow the rules, I suppose.”

“You mean like we do?”

Sinclair shrugged. Marcus thought back to all the things he’d done, mostly just for fun, or to get him some time with Abby. He could have been sent here for those crimes, lost his future, maybe his life, and those truly had been petty crimes, not ones committed out of necessity or desperation.

He remembered the report he’d done to the Council, his casual recommendation that they investigate the inventory discrepancies to see if there was a criminal reason. His stomach flipped as he thought about it, and he grew cold. Had his report been acted on? Were some of the people here today, or in previous days, or days to come, here because of him? Would they be floated because of work he’d done on that report? The thought made him feel sick.

“Are you okay? You’ve gone pale.” Sinclair looked at Marcus with concern. “Don’t worry about Wade. Some people like to throw their weight around, and we’re here to learn. You said all the right things to him.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks.”

“One day you’ll be bossing people around like him.” Sinclair jostled him and Marcus played along.

He’d have to put these thoughts out of his mind if he was to get on in this role. He couldn’t argue with the logic behind the Ark’s strict laws, nobody could. Everybody knew what they were practically from birth and if you followed them you didn’t have to worry. It was a shock, though, seeing the consequences not only of their actions but also of his. He’d be more careful in future, think about the effects of what he did and said on other people.

“Don’t tell Kira any of this, will you?” he said to Sinclair. “Only she might tell Abby and then Abby might get upset.”

“I don’t tell Kira what goes on here. She’s not interested, so you’ve no need to worry.”

“Thanks.”

In his dorm later that night he sat on his bed and reread all Abby’s messages to him. They made him feel better, and he had a lighter heart when he opened a new message and started writing.

_Dear Abby_

_Today I missed you more than ever. I miss talking to you, hearing your voice. You’re so funny and intelligent and you always make me laugh. If I were with you now I’d be dancing with you. I’d hold you close, and we’d have our David Bowie song playing in the background and we’d just be kind of swaying and moving slowly around the room. Your head is on my shoulder and I can smell your hair like our meadow flowers and it’s so soft when I kiss it. I want you to kiss me and make me feel good. I want your arms around me and your lips on mine and your body pressed against me. I think you taste like the finest wines they ever had on Earth and I can’t get enough of you._

_I want to kiss your sweet skin and feel its warmth and how soft it is. Remember Christmas when we were lying together? I want to do that again. I know you tell me I have to look away, but I don’t want to. I want to see you. I want to be close to you, because you’re the most beautiful thing in my life and I need you. I hope you don’t mind me saying these things. You know I’ll only ever do what you want but sometimes I just like to think about it, I just need to think about it I don’t know if I can explain it to you or if you have ever felt the same way._

_I’m so happy that you’re getting to assist your mom in an operation. It doesn’t matter that it’s only a minor removal of a, well I don’t even know what that is, but whatever. The point is you will be in the thick of it and she will hopefully let you sew that guy up. Lucky him having you working on him. At least someone gets to feel your touch! Look at me – jealous of a man with an ugly whatever that is! This is what you do to me._

_We have to meet soon. It’s your birthday in a month but I don’t know if I can wait that long or what I’m going to do to see you but there will be something I’m sure. I don’t want to get in trouble here because that can lead to things you don’t want to think about. That sounds wrong. That sounds like they beat me or strap me to a table and tickle me into submission or something :) They don’t do that, it’s just best to keep my head down and do my best. I know you will approve of that._

_Time for lights out in a minute so I’ll send this now and go to sleep thinking of you and all the wonderful things about you that I love._

_All my love and kisses._

_Marcus xxxxxx_

He pressed send on the message, then switched off his tablet and got under the covers. Most of the other boys were already in bed and a few seconds later the light went out. Marcus curled into a ball and tried to ignore the dull ache that had settled in his body. He closed his eyes and tried to think only of Abby, because no one and nothing else mattered.

\---

Abby read Marcus’s message in the middle of the night. She must have fallen asleep earlier because she’d woken up on top of her bed with her tablet resting on her chest. She’d checked it for messages because it was a compulsion that she couldn’t help. His words brought heat to her veins and it raced through her body like wildfire. It made her brain go cloudy again like it had when they’d been together at Christmas doing the things he was talking about in his message. She read it twice, the feelings intensifying the second time. She traced the swell of her breast where he’d kissed her, called up the memory of his lips there. A soft moan escaped her, and she sat up, listening carefully in case her parents had heard her and were worried about her. There was no sound from the rest of the apartment.

She couldn’t resist reading his words again, and this time something struck her about them. They were hot, yes, but there was something underlying them, a need that wasn’t just physical. He said he’d missed her today more than ever, that he needed her, that he didn’t want to get in trouble. Had something happened? Something that had upset him.

_Dear Marcus_

_Your message was so beautiful I’m sure my own words will seem inadequate in comparison. I want all of those things too and I long to be with you again. I do understand what you mean about needing to think about the things that we aren’t doing. I think about them too and sometimes I imagine what it will be like to be together in those ways. I know it must be difficult for you at times and you are so patient with me. I’m grateful for that and I’m glad that we can talk about these things. We can talk about whatever you want. I’ve done lots of research on this subject and I have all the knowledge I need to be able to discuss anything._

_Are you okay? Your message was lovely like I said but something in its tone made me wonder if you are feeling melancholy. It must be hard being away from home and being in a strange place. I can understand that. I want to be someone you can turn to. If there’s anything else you want to tell me or talk about then you know I will always be here for you._

_You will always have my love I hope that gives you comfort. You are brave and bold and can do anything!_

_Lots of love and kisses._

_Abby xxxxxxxxx_

She sent the message and closed the tablet. She curled up into a ball and thought about Marcus lying in his bed so near and yet so far, not just in terms of distance but experience. The gap was only going to grow the longer he was on Prison Station. She could read all the books in the world, but it wasn’t a substitute for real life experience.

When she woke the next morning there was a message from Marcus who must have been up really early because it was already two hours old.

_My beautiful Abby_

_You are a kind and wonderful person and I’m so lucky to have you. I don’t have time to write much, but I wanted to say that you don’t need to worry about me. You are right - insightful, clever soul that you are. I was feeling melancholy when I wrote to you but it was just a passing moment based like you said on all the strangeness of my life at the moment. Your message has lifted my spirits and I will go into my day bravely and boldly with you in my heart._

_Be prepared to see me on your birthday if not before. I will make it happen._

_All my love_

_Marcus xx_

Abby hugged the tablet to her chest. She’d helped him feel better and that made her feel good. There was a whole month until her fifteenth birthday, and the thought of having to wait that long was terrible, but the last month had gone quickly and this one would too, she had faith. One month. Four weeks. Just a few days really. She could do it. She could wait.


	12. Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus goes to extreme lengths to see Abby on her birthday.

The day before Abby’s birthday, Marcus was sitting in the Prison Station Mess with Sinclair. He felt like he was in prison himself, or might as well be, as they hadn’t been allowed off the station since they’d arrived two months before. He’d been a ball of frustration for weeks, unable to come up with any method of getting to see Abby on or near her birthday, and he was starting to give up hope.

“Maybe you could pretend to be sick,” said Sinclair as he slurped a huge mouthful of soup.

“They’d probably just make me stay in bed or tell me to get on with it regardless.”

“Not if we make you really sick. Like we could poison you just a little bit and then you’ll have to go to Medical.”

“If I’m actually sick I’m not going to be much use to Abby, am I? Plus, I don’t trust you; you’ll probably kill me.”

Sinclair chuckled. “Probably.”

Marcus sat back in his chair, sighed. “It’s an interesting idea, though. There’s something there I’m sure.”

“What would require you to go to Medical but not affect your ability to kiss the face off your girlfriend?”

“If I hurt my arm maybe.”

“You might need your hands,” said Sinclair with a lascivious grin.

“I only need one hand,” said Marcus, smirking.

“Yeah, when you’re on your own. It’s different with an actual person.”

“Shut up! And what would you know?”

“More than you.”

Marcus couldn’t deny that. “God, why is this all so hard? First we had her dad and then my mom and now I’m stuck here.”

“It’s the same for all of us. I haven’t seen Kira in two months either.”

“How do you cope?”

“You don’t want to know.”

“No.” Marcus sighed again. “Come on, Sinclair! You’re the engineer, the problem solver. What am I going to do?”

“We’ve got defence training on Friday. What if I hit you really hard in the face, give you a black eye or something and you can pretend you’re knocked out for a minute. They’ll send you to Medical then.”

“Hmm, they might, yeah. What about my face though? I’ll look terrible.”

“It would be a shame to mess up such a beautiful face,” said Sinclair, mockingly, “but girls love that shit. Imagine turning up all bruised and you’ve done it for her. She’ll be all over you. You might get to an actual base.”

“I’ve been to a base,” replied Marcus, who was used to Sinclair making fun of his slow, respectful relationship with Abby.

“Kissing her cheek doesn’t count.”

“Haha.” He thought over Sinclair’s idea. It might work, and if he did it towards the end of the day then he’d have to stay over in Medical, or even if he didn’t, no one would realise he wasn’t back. If it didn’t work, then he’d have a black eye. Nothing wrong with that; he’d probably get worse injuries during his life as a Guard. “Okay, let’s do it!”

“Yeah? You sure?”

“Yeah. Just don’t break my nose.”

“It could do with getting broken, might straighten it.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my nose, and Abby loves it the way it is.”

“She’s blind to all your faults, isn’t she?”

“Because she’s in love with me,” said Marcus, rubbing his nose self-consciously.

“She’ll have her eyes opened one day.”

“It’ll be too late by then; she’ll already be mine.”

\---

On the morning of her fifteenth birthday, Abby woke early, a feeling of sadness already settled over her. She’d been longing for this day, because fifteen sounded so much more adult than fourteen, and she was now technically in her sixteenth year. One year today and she would practically be an adult, able to make her own decisions. Unfortunately, she had to mark this momentous day alone, well with her mom and dad and her few friends at school so not actually alone, but without Marcus, so alone in her heart and soul.

She turned over in bed and picked up her tablet. It was so early she wasn’t expecting a message from Marcus but there was one, timed at 0100 hours so he must have been up late.

_My darling Abby_

_Happy birthday to you, my sweet, beautiful girl! I wanted this to be the first thing you saw, so I stayed up late, cause you know I’m no good at getting up early unless I have to, although I would do it for you!_

_I love you to the Earth and back and I want you to have a wonderful day even though I’m not there. I’ll be thinking about you all day long and if you think about me too then I’m sure we’ll both be able to feel that._

_Remember when we met I asked you how old you were and you didn’t want me to think you were too young so you said you’d be fifteen in six months? I thought that was the cutest thing at the time, and now that moment is here. How quickly have these six months gone by? Next time we see each other you can say you’ll be sixteen in twelve months’ time and that will go by so fast as well and we’ll have so much fun in the meantime I know it. This situation we’re in can’t go on forever._

_Speaking of having fun... wait for it... I have a plan to see you! There are no guarantees it will work but don’t worry about that. I’m determined and you know what I’m like – I always get what I want. I got you, didn’t I? It might mean I turn up in Medical on Friday. Don’t be worried about me – me and Sinclair have it all under control – but if you’re there and you see me just act surprised and don’t worry about how I look. I’ll be fine. I know that’s really cryptic, sorry, but I’ll do anything to see you, you know that. I’m only sorry it isn’t today, but then I guess it would have been hard anyway cause your parents are probably going to want to spend time with you, and I can hardly turn up for punch and birthday cake._

_I love you! Two days from now I will get to kiss your sweet lips and tell you in person. Hold on until then. Have a wonderful day, my love._

_All my love and kisses_

_Marcus xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (one for each day you’ve been alive!)_

Abby read his message three times, trying to hear his voice as he told her he loved her, imagining his face. She was thrilled that he’d found a way to come and see her, but worried about what he had planned. If he ended up in Medical then that meant that he was hurt or sick, and also that her mother would see him and have to treat him! Abby would probably be there if it was after class and how would she cope seeing him appear just like that in front of her mother?

_Dear Marcus_

_Thank you so much for your birthday message. I was so happy to get it when I woke up. You’re the first thing I’ve seen and that already makes the day really special. I’m going to miss you like crazy but then I do anyway._

_It will be amazing to see you and there’s nothing I want more in the universe, you know that, but I’m worried about what you’re going to do. Please don’t get in trouble or hurt yourself or anything. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you. I love you so much! What would I do without you? Promise me you won’t do anything too crazy._

_I can’t wait to see you. I will think of you all day and imagine you thinking of me. Thanks for all the birthday kisses – I will give you the same number when we meet, and then a lot more!_

_Someone’s knocking on my door, probably my dad. I have to go._

_Love you loads!_

_Abby xxxx_

She hit send then put the pad back on her table. “Come in!” she said.

\---

The phrase ‘on tenterhooks’ came from the ancient practice of stretching cloth over a wooden frame called a tenter using hooked nails to hold it in place. Abby had learned the origins of the phrase in her English class a couple of years before and it summed up her feelings perfectly on the Friday after her birthday. All day long her nerves had been stretched tighter and tighter as though someone was turning the hooks. If Marcus didn’t do whatever he was supposed to be doing soon she thought she might snap, be torn apart right down the centre or maybe just a few nerves would go and she’d fly across the room as though she was jet propelled.

She’d been working with her mom in Medical for half an hour doing nothing exciting other than tidying the cupboards when the door opened, and she turned to see a familiar curly head entering the room. His arm was around someone who was looking at the floor, but the dark, wavy hair of Marcus was unmistakeable. Her stomach knotted and then seemed to sink somewhere towards her feet. It was them! He was here!

Ruth Walters looked up from cleaning equipment and rushed across to the boys when she saw them staggering in.

“What’s happened?” she said, taking Marcus from Sinclair and settling him on the examination table.

“We were training, and I accidentally hit him too hard and he may have banged his head. We were told to report to you.”

Ruth took out her ophthalmoscope and looked into Marcus’s eyes. “Did you lose consciousness at any point?”

“Maybe, I’m not sure,” said Marcus.

Abby was rooted to the spot, her heart thumping. Sinclair looked across to her and grinned, but she was unable to respond in any way. What had Marcus done?

“Do you feel sick? Any dizziness, blurred vision?”

“A little sick, but he hit me hard.”

“Your eye is swollen. Is that where he got you?”

“Yeah, it was a sucker punch.”

“Sorry, mate,” said Sinclair, who looked genuinely contrite to Abby. She supposed he hadn’t liked having to hit his best friend, no matter what the reason.

“Has he seemed confused, slurred his speech at all?” said Ruth to Sinclair.

“No, ma’am.”

“Okay. It’s possible you’ve had a mild concussion. I’d like to keep you here for observation for an hour at least, just to make sure.” Ruth turned to Abby. “Abigail, can you get me an antiseptic bath and some cotton wool.”

Abby stared at her mom, still unsure what to say or do.

“Now, please, darling.”

That woke her up. Go into work mode, help her mom, that was the best most natural thing to do. She didn’t look at Marcus, couldn’t, because she didn’t trust her face not to give her away. She got what her mother wanted, forced herself to go up to the table where Marcus was lying. She laid the items on her mother’s workstation then she could resist no longer, and she turned her eyes to look at Marcus. A gasp escaped her before she realised it. His cheek was swollen beneath his right eye and around the eye was red turning to purple.

“It’s not too bad,” said Ruth, unaware of why Abby had gasped. “We’ll soon have him cleaned up.”

Marcus looked at Abby, the edges of his lips turned up into the beginnings of a smile, but that was as far as they went. He wouldn’t want to risk smiling more broadly and giving the game away.

“What’s your name?” said Ruth to Marcus, and Abby’s stomach lurched again. This would be the end of it now.

“Kane, Marcus Kane.” Marcus looked Ruth in the eye, speaking confidently as though it was perfectly normal that he should be here, which it was, except it wasn’t at the same time, because he was here under false pretences.

“Ah,” said Ruth, looking at Abby and then back to Marcus. “So you’re Marcus Kane.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Will you excuse me one moment.”

Ruth took Abby’s arm gently and led her to the far side of the room. Abby thought she was going to be sick her stomach was in so much turmoil.

“This is the young man you like, the one your dad told you not to see?”

“Yes.”

“I see. Did you know he was coming here today?”

“No. How could I? I don’t speak to him.”

Ruth looked long and hard at Abby, and Abby tried to hold her gaze but it was hard because she was so bad at this. It was awful lying to her mom. “Dad said he’s over on Prison Station now, training to be a Guard.”

“Yes, I believe so.”

Ruth nodded. “You know, surprising though this will be to you, I was young once, and I haven’t forgotten what it was like.”

“Mom!” said Abby, fearing she was going to get another talk.

“Your dad and I, we were your age when we met.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Then why is he so against me and Marcus?”

“Probably because he remembers what he was like then, what we got up to.”

“Oh, my God, mom!” Abby flushed red at her mom’s inference.

Ruth chuckled, a soft smile on her face, he eyes defocusing for a moment while she thought back. “Nothing is going to change with your dad, you know that don’t you?”

“Yeah,” said Abby with a sigh.

“I don’t want to know anything. I don’t see anything, and I don’t want to. I trust you, sweetheart, with your future. I trust that you know what’s best. Do you understand me?”

“I think so.” Was her mom turning a blind eye to her and Marcus? Was she giving them a kind of tentative permission?

“Okay. Let’s go and see our patient.”

Abby followed her mom back to the examining table where Marcus was sitting with an anxious look on his face.

“Did you get knocked out when your friend here hit you?” said Ruth to Marcus. “Tell me the truth. It’s alright.”

“No, ma’am,” said Marcus, looking sheepishly at Ruth and Abby.

“Okay. Well, I don’t think I’m needed here. Why don’t you take care of our patient, Abigail? Clean up his eye, and I think it would be best if you kept him under observation for an hour or so, just in case.”

“Erm, okay,” said Abby, staring at her mom in disbelief. “What will you be doing?”

“I’m going to make my rounds, and I expect by the time I get back he’ll be completely recovered and on his way to Prison Station.”

“Thank you, Doctor Walters,” said Marcus, who looked as stunned as Abby felt.

Ruth leaned close to Marcus, spoke in a stage whisper so Abby would hear.

“You treat my daughter with respect,” she growled.

“Yes, ma’am,” said Marcus.

“I’ll see you at home later,” said Ruth to Abby, and then she picked up her medical bag and was gone.

“Oh, my God!” said Marcus.

“What the hell happened there?” said Sinclair.

“I think she just gave us permission,” said Abby, smiling at both boys.

“Wow! What did she say to you before?”

“Nothing. I’ll tell you later,” said Abby, glancing at Sinclair.

“That’s my cue,” said Sinclair. “I’ll head back and tell them they’re keeping you for observation. Should give you some time.”

He gave Abby a kiss on the cheek, patted Marcus on the arm. “Have fun!” he said, and then he too left, leaving Abby and Marcus alone.

“Hi!” said Marcus, grinning at her.

“Hi! Oh, Marcus, what have you done?” She reached out tentatively to touch his cheek.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Sinclair hit me while we were learning hand to hand combat.”

“It looks painful.”

Marcus shrugged. “Nah. It got me here, didn’t it?”

“Yeah. I’d better clean it up like my mom said.”

“Don’t I get a kiss first?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, making Abby smile.

He swivelled so he was facing her and brought her towards him so she was standing in the vee of his legs. His arms snaked around her back and pulled her in close. Their lips met and she put her arms around his neck and kissed him until they were both moaning.

“Happy birthday,” whispered Marcus. “I love you.”

“Thank you. I love you too.”

He relaxed his grip on her with a sigh, his eyes appraising her. “You look beautiful.”

“I’m only in my work clothes.”

“I love your lab coat. It’s sexy.”

“No, it’s not.”

“It is.” He ran his fingers over the lapel of her coat, tracing it downwards to where it covered the swell of her breast. She held her breath, but he stopped just short. “Beautiful,” he whispered again.

“I really should clean up your eye,” said Abby.

“Okay. I’m looking forward to being your patient, Doctor.”

“I’ll be gentle with you,” Abby said, and then she emptied the packet of antiseptic wash into a bowl and dipped the cotton wool into it. She pressed it gently against his cheek, feeling his pain as he winced. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

“I told you I’d do anything for you.”

Abby cleaned his eye gently with the cotton wool, and when she’d finished she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the bruise, tasting the saltiness of his skin mixed with the wash. Marcus moaned, and she kissed him again, further up his cheek, and then she kissed every inch of his bruise including his eyelid which was closed the whole time.

“That’s better,” she murmured when she returned to her starting place.

“Mmm,” said Marcus, and he put his hands either side of her head, beneath her hair and kissed her lips and her cheek and her nose and every part of her face. “You’re an excellent doctor,” he said when he’d finished.

“You’re the perfect patient,” she said.

“Shall we go to our room? I keep thinking someone’s going to come in here, which is kind of exciting, but I’d rather be completely alone with you.”

“Okay,” said Abby, who was tingling from head to toe after his kisses. “Let me tidy this up first.”

She cleaned up her workstation, smiling as she felt Marcus’s eyes on her the whole time. When she’d finished, she took his hand, helped him down from the examining table. “We’d better go separately, just in case someone sees us.”

“You go first. I want to watch you walk.”

“Oh, my God!” Abby said, laughing.

“I’m serious! It’s my birthday present.”

“It’s not your birthday!”

“Don’t you have that tradition where the person whose birthday it is gives the other person a present?”

“No!”

“Well, let’s start that tradition then. Go on! Get a wriggle on.”

“You’re terrible!” said Abby as she headed for the door.

“I am,” laughed Marcus.

Abby headed down the hallway towards their room on Alpha Station, feeling self-conscious, ridiculous, warm and happy all at the same time.

\---

It was the craziest feeling being with Abby, like he was where he was meant to be, and everything else in his life was just a backdrop to this, to him and her. In their room, Marcus lay with Abby partly beneath him, looking down at her lovingly. They’d just kissed for so long his lips felt as tender as his eye, which was throbbing now. It had started to close up slightly, and part of his vision was blurred, so that she was soft at the edges. He hadn’t told her that, because she would worry, and he didn’t want her to know she was becoming a blurry shape to him. He wanted everything to seem perfect.

“What are you thinking?” she said.

“Other than how beautiful you are, I was thinking maybe you’re getting warm in this lab coat.” He ran a finger down her lapel like he had earlier, but this time he wasn’t going to stop, unless she told him to. He did it slowly, giving her time, but also because the anticipation made him hot, if he could get any hotter. She was watching him, her lips slightly parted, and he reached the part he’d stopped at before, just before her breast started to swell, and then he went further, watching her, waiting for a sign, but there was only the sound of her breath catching in her throat.

He traced the swell, feeling its roundness. “Shall I undo the buttons?” he said softly.

“Yes.”

He grasped the top button with shaking fingers. He didn’t know why he was so nervous because she probably had a shirt or vest on underneath but there was the promise of something more, he was certain. He eased one button out of its slot and then the other, and when the last one was out he peeled the coat back and saw she was wearing a dark blue vest that was low cut and the tops of the firm flesh that he’d felt beneath her coat were revealed to him. He put his hand on her breast, cupped it, feeling it yield beneath his touch when he squeezed gently. It was thrilling to finally touch her like this and his body was humming, his head buzzing. He rubbed his thumb over her, and she gasped.

“Does that feel good?”

“Yeah.”

He bent and pressed a kiss to the swell, and then another one lower. She moved beneath him, a small cry escaping her that he wasn’t sure was of shock or pleasure. “Shall we take off your vest?” he said, his heart thumping.

“I don’t know.”

“Okay. Well, there’s no rush.” He flipped them so he was lying on his back and she was half on top of him. “You can have your way with me instead if you want.” He grinned to show he was okay with whatever she felt comfortable with.

“Oh, yeah?” she said with a smile. “What do you want?”

“You know I like your hands on me.”

“You do.”

“And your lips,” he said as she pushed his t-shirt up so she could access his belly.

She traced a circle around his belly button, then followed the line of hairs on his stomach up towards his chest. Marcus manoeuvred so he could grab his t-shirt and in one fell swoop he pulled it off. Abby’s eyes widened in surprise.

“See, easy,” he said.

“You don’t have... you know what’s,” she said.

“I do. Look at them.” He pointed to his nipples.

She put her hand on his ribcage. “Will they feel like mine did?”

“Only one way to find out.”

She looked shyly at him, and then she moved her hand further up his chest, rubbed her thumb over his nipple. He wasn’t prepared for the shockwave that coursed through him. When he’d touched his nipples himself, nothing had ever happened. He’d thought he was numb there.

“God!” he gasped.

“Was that bad?”

“No. It was great. Do it again.”

She did as he asked, and then she did the same to the other one, and Marcus let his head fall back and closed his eyes so he could enjoy her touch. “Will you kiss me there?” he said without opening his eyes.

“On your nipples?” He could hear the surprise in her voice.

“Yes. Please.”

“Okay.”

Marcus tensed as he waited for her touch, and it was soft when it came, gentle. She avoided the area at first, kissing his ribs and working her way up between his pecs. She ran her hands over him again, thumbs teasing him. He groaned, and then he felt something warmer, wetter, and her lips closed over him and her tongue came out to taste him as she liked to do when she was kissing his mouth.

“That feels so good,” he said, and she pressed harder with her tongue. He groaned so loudly he thought anyone walking past would be certain to hear him. He put his hand on her head, his fingers curling into her hair.

“You taste salty,” she said when she paused and looked at him.

“Do I?”

“Yes, like not a lot but a bit.”

“Let me do the same to you,” he said, desperate now to find out what she tasted like. “Let me make you feel as good.”

She stared at him for a long time, took a shaky breath. He felt bad momentarily, but his need was too great for him to dwell on it for long, and he was giving her a choice. He wouldn’t push it any further. He waited while she thought it through.

She didn’t answer him, but she took her lab coat off, revealing her sleeveless vest in full. He eased her beneath him, kissed her lips, then adjusted his position so he could get both his hands on her. He pushed her vest up like she’d done to him, placed a kiss on her flat stomach. Her diaphragm was rising and falling rapidly beneath his hands, and he caressed her, trying to take his time, put her at ease.

“Such soft skin,” he said, pushing her vest further until her ribs were revealed, and the shadow of her breasts. His kisses followed his hands, until there was nowhere else to go. He paused, giving her the chance to stop him, and when she didn’t, when there was only the sound of their mingled breaths, he lifted her vest to reveal his prize.

“Beautiful,” he said, and he pressed his lips to her because he wanted to taste her first in case she changed her mind.

“Oh, God,” she said. “Oh, God!”

“It’s okay. It feels good, right?”

“Yes,” she whispered, and she pressed her body against his, and he had to shift slightly so she wasn’t right against him, otherwise he was liable to have something embarrassing happen.

He took his time caressing her. She was right, there was salt, and something indefinable, almost metallic.

“I feel lightheaded,” she said after a couple of minutes.

He stopped and looked at her. “Is it a bad feeling?”

“No, just a bit weird.”

“My head’s buzzing,” he said. “I almost can’t think properly.”

“Me too. It’s like electricity running through me.”

“I often feel like that when we’re together. I feel like when you touch me if I put my hand in a socket I could light up the whole Ark.”

He settled so that she was next to him, rested his hand on her breast just because he could, but he didn’t touch her like he had before because he was worried he’d been overenthusiastic and that had caused her to feel lightheaded.

“Did it feel good for you?” she said.

“Oh, yeah. Amazing. I’ve dreamed about it quite a lot,” he said, grinning sheepishly.

“Aurora said you would have.”

“Oh, did she? What else do you and Aurora talk about?”

“Nothing, not really. She said all men are useless with women.”

“And is that your experience?” He hadn’t considered that Abby might have talked with someone about him or about being with him, like he had with Sinclair, and was anxious to know what she thought.

“No. I think you’re wonderful. You know exactly what you’re doing.”

“Oh good! I’m glad my lady is happy.” He swelled with pride.

“Am I okay?” Abby looked directly into his eyes, searching them.

“You, my love, are perfect.” Marcus pressed a kiss to her nose.

“Good.” Abby smiled and she wrapped her arms around him, her bare breasts squashed against his bare chest, and Marcus didn’t think there’d ever been a moment in his life when he’d been happier.

\---

Abby lay in Marcus’s arms, pretty much every part of her body throbbing, her brain a foggy haze, her limbs tingling. She’d read a lot about the body’s reactions to stimulus, but nothing had prepared her for this. She’d touched herself sometimes, experimentally, because scientific knowledge was nothing without empirical evidence. She’d read about nerve endings in various parts of the body and it had seemed natural to be her own test subject. It wasn’t as though she could go and randomly ask her classmates if she could tweak their nipples to see what happened. She’d never managed to elicit more than a slight tingle, which had been disappointing. The science couldn’t be wrong, but she’d figured she either hadn’t been doing it right, or there was something wrong with her.

There was nothing wrong with her, because the way she was feeling right now was better than anything she’d read in the books. There was nothing wrong with her technique either, because she’d brought the loudest moans out of Marcus she’d ever heard him emit. It must need the other person, that chemical attraction, that electricity he’d been talking about. Marcus was the reagent that drove the chemical reaction that made her feel the way she did, and she must be the same for him. It was fascinating.

She hadn’t meant to let him go so far, but when she’d seen how he’d reacted to what she was doing and he said he wanted her to feel the same way she couldn’t resist finding out. It was amazing, thrilling, wonderful! Who knew you could make another person feel that good just by touching them? She wanted to do it again, all the time, make Marcus feel like that all the time. How did anyone ever do anything else?

This was what her mom was talking about when she’d said her and dad ‘got up to things’, this was what her dad didn’t want her to know. Ugh, that was a gross thought. Jeez, put that out of your mind, Abby!

“Are you okay?” whispered Marcus.

“Yes, why?”

“You groaned.”

“Oh, I had a gross thought, not about you, not about this.”

“Good! I hope this isn’t gross for you.”

She put her hand on his face, looked into his soulful brown eyes. “It’s not. It’s not gross at all.”

She kissed him, and it grew passionate like it always did, and he rolled over her and somehow didn’t stop and they ended up on the floor next to the makeshift sofa. Marcus crouched over her, and Abby held up her arms so he could take her vest off completely. He sat astride her, looking at her, and her cheeks started to burn but she stayed still, resisted the temptation to cover herself because he’d already kind of seen it all, and they were only breasts. Nice ones according to Aurora, so what was there to be ashamed of? Nothing.

Marcus took a long, shaky breath. “I’m the luckiest guy in the universe,” he said, and Abby’s stomach did a kind of weird thing where it seemed to suck into itself. Maybe it was a visible thing because Marcus put his hand on her belly, and then his hands were back on her breasts followed by his lips and she did the same to him when it was her turn and by the end of God knows how long, they were both lying on their backs next to each other breathing heavily.

“I don’t want to ever leave here,” said Marcus.

“We have to,” said Abby and she felt tears well.

Marcus noticed and pulled her to him. “It’s okay. There’ll be another chance soon.”

“I want to be with you all the time.”

“I know. Me too.”

They lay in each other’s arms for a few more minutes and then Marcus reluctantly sat up. “I have to get back to Prison Station.”

He pulled on his t-shirt and handed Abby her vest. She put that on and then her lab coat, fastening it so that everything was covered and it was like nothing had happened, except it had and beneath this buttoned up exterior every nerve in her body had come alive.

They stood facing each other, tears running down Abby’s cheeks, Marcus’s eyes sparkling.

“I love you,” he said, pulling her in for a hug.

“I love you,” Abby sobbed.

“It won’t be long, I promise.”

“Just don’t kill yourself trying to see me.”

“I would kill myself for you if I had to, but then I wouldn’t ever be able to see you, so I guess that’s not really an option.” He pulled away from her, wiped a tear from her face and smiled.

Abby took a shaky breath. “Okay.”

“You go first. I want to watch you walk,” he said, grinning.

“May we meet again,” Abby said, looking back over her shoulder at him as she walked down the hallway.

“We will.”

Marcus blew her a kiss, and then Abby turned a corner and he was gone. When she got back to her quarters no one was in which she was grateful for. She went into her bedroom, flung herself face first onto the bed and cried until she was exhausted and fell asleep.


	13. Thinking About You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus and Abby both endure a week from hell, but is there a happy ending?

_My beautiful Abby_

_How has it been a month since my eyes last looked upon your lovely face? It has gone quickly in some ways because I’ve been so busy here at work, but has felt like an age in others, especially as I don’t know when or how I will see you again. Has it passed quickly for you? I hope so, because I don’t like to think of you alone there and pining for me. Well, I kind of like to think about you pining for me but at the same time I don’t want you to be sad or upset!!!_

_I am pining for you. My body aches for you, as does my soul. I think about you every night and I will tell you a little secret, though you must promise not to laugh. Do you promise? Okay, good. Last night when I was in bed and I was hidden under the covers I touched my nipples like you did to me. I closed my eyes and I tried to imagine it was you touching me. It was nice – better than when I tried that ages ago before I knew you – but not the same. It was nowhere near as good as when you touched me. Have you ever done anything like that and thought about me? Maybe you should try it, let me know what it was like..._

_Today was a strange day. I wasn’t going to tell you about it because it makes me look like a doofus but then I figured if we’re going to be together forever then you probably should know all of me, good and stupid! Major Wade, who I’m sure you’ll remember is our trainer, said he had a special assignment for me and Sinclair. I was really excited because we’ve been getting good reports from him so I was hoping for a good task and it was! He said we could process some new prisoners and there were like fifteen of them. A bunch of teenagers from Farm Station who’d got high on some special mushroom they’d grown. [Aside- have you ever tried anything like that? I haven’t. I’ve had moonshine which tasted disgusting, but it makes you laugh. I’ve missed my opportunity to try anything more potent because if I do it now, I’ll get removed from the training scheme and end up on Factory Station.]_

_So, we had to interview all the prisoners and take down all their details. I was given the job of entering it all into the computer system, which I did. You can sense where this is going now, can’t you? You’re clever, I bet you’re already at the end of this tale. My clever, beautiful girl! Anyway – it took the entire day to do all this processing and get them sorted out with kit etc. You have to record what they’ve been given in terms of any clothing, blankets, washing stuff, and any medications they are on. It’s quite laborious, and we didn’t take a break for any lunch because Major Wade when he came in said we were too slow. So by the end of the day I was tired and I felt lightheaded because I didn’t eat much the day before either (I’m going to be all skin and bones soon – will you still love me?). We’d just finished processing the last of the prisoners and Major Wade asked me to export the information to a list of people including your mom who might need to know things like medications._

_I hope you will still want me after I tell you this next part. So, I pressed what I thought was the button for export and it came up with this message saying “This task cannot be undone. Press confirm to proceed,” so I did. And all the information disappeared. I thought – great! That’s gone to all these people. Then Major Wade took over the computer and he tried to call up the file but it wasn’t there. Turns out I’d pressed this execute button which terminated the entire program!!!! Everything gone – all the prisoners’ files not just the ones I processed today._

_Oh, my God, Abby!! My heart was racing so fast I thought I was going to be sick. Sinclair was just staring at me, like I was something he’d never seen before, an alien creature. He was just mumbling “this is power station all over again.” I started to feel kind of weightless, like I was floating in space and I had space for brains as well because no thoughts came into my head, just a kind of numbness. Major Wade went white!_

_Anyway, it turns out they back up the system every night so all the previous information was retrievable and it was just the work me and Sinclair had done today that had gone. I felt a bit better after hearing that. Major Wade gave me a big lecture on being careful and not being too eager to press buttons without thinking of the consequences, as though I was some little kid who couldn’t resist pressing the big red button that would blow something up! I apologised of course as much as I could but I started to think about it and really, Abby, who puts an execute button next to an export one? Surely I’m not the first person to make this mistake? Sinclair is going to look at the system and see if there’s another failsafe they can add to it. He said he’s going to call it the Kane Execution! Not sure I’m happy about that juxtaposition of words!!_

_So, guess what me and Sinclair are doing tomorrow? Yep, interviewing the prisoners all over again. Sinclair said I shouldn’t be allowed near the computer but Major Wade said I have to learn and if I make the mistake again tomorrow he’s going to put me in a cell for a week, so that’s a good incentive to get it right!_

_What do you think of your beau now? Do you want to be with such an idiot who can’t work computers? I don’t think it’s computers I have an issue with – it’s buttons! Don’t let me near buttons! Unless they’re on your lab coat – I can manage those okay... ;)_

_I hope you had a better day than me. You said in yesterday’s message that you were doing an experiment - how did that go? I sincerely hope you had a better day than I did._

_I had better go! This turned out to be a long message. Don’t dump me now you know you’re dating an idiot! I’ll look forward to your reply and I’ll write again tomorrow._

_I love you my sweet girl!! Sending you all my love and kisses and button tweaks (you know what I mean!!!!)._

_Marcus xxxxx_

\---

_Dear Marcus_

_Oh wow!!!! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry reading your message. I did both! The tears were of laughter – I know that’s bad, but it was so funny the way you told the story. You’re right, I had an idea what you were going to say because I remembered you telling me about the time you nearly caused a nuclear meltdown! I feel so bad that you have to go back and do all that work all over again. I can just picture Sinclair’s face. Say hi to him from me (if he’s speaking to you!). I don’t know if I should comment on your ability with buttons – but yes I think you are better with human-related ones than technological ones!!!_

_I’ve never had anything hallucinogenic although I know what those guys have made. It’s all over the Ark! That’s so cool that you processed them. I hope they didn’t get long sentences though. You can’t be floated for that, can you, once you’re eighteen? I don’t think I’ll ever drink alcohol because of the way it impairs cognitive function. Why would you ever want to numb your brain?_

_I had class most of the day as usual and yes you’re right, I am doing an experiment. Funnily enough it’s kind of like what the kids were doing on Farm Station. I’m looking into modifying algae cells to create a more resilient version. It’s just an idea I had about crossing fungi and algae. These grow naturally on Earth they’re called lichens but I wanted to see whether this could create a superfood. I’ve been trying to culture a new strain for ages with no success but something different is happening this time! Tomorrow I’m going to do a genetic test on them to see if I’ve managed to hybridise them!!! Keep your fingers crossed for me. This could be really exciting. Of course, I’ve probably made some fundamental error somewhere and created a monster that will take over the Ark!! It will have to be peer reviewed and tested by others if I am successful but it’s looking good so far! Imagine if I solved the food crisis!!!_

_I’ve written and rewritten this last section a few times – I don’t know why – it’s not like we haven’t done these things together and I’m not embarrassed or anything it’s just I’m not used to writing these things down or saying them out loud to someone else. You’re so much better at this than me. You have a way with words. Have you ever written poetry? (That’s not a hint for you to write some for me, I promise!). It was really hot reading what you said about touching yourself and thinking of me. I had experimented with the same thing a while ago and nothing really happened but when we were together it was a LOT different! Amazingly different, and so good!_

_When I got home earlier and I read your message I decided I would try it again. I lay back on my bed and I closed my eyes and I thought about you and I thought about what we did, and it was nice. I felt good, but then it just made me miss you more and want you. I want you touching me, there are no substitutes. I don’t know if I’d rather wait – won’t that make it all the better when we do eventually see each other? I know I said I didn’t want you to hurt yourself or get in trouble over me but I don’t know, I really wish you could break out of your prison and come and see me. I want to talk to you face to face and hear your voice and see you. When I’m sixteen are we going to run away together? (Not that there’s anywhere to go!)._

_It’s late and I have to check my cultures before I go to class tomorrow. I love you and miss you!!! Try and have a good day even though it is the same thing again. You can do it this time and I know you won’t make mistakes. Keep away from buttons!!!_

_All my love and kisses_

_Abby xxxxx_

_\---_

_My Dearest Abby_

_So, you will be wondering why I didn’t write to you yesterday. This week has gone from bad to worse – way worse! I don’t know if I can even tell you what happened, but you deserve an explanation for me not being in touch when I said I would, and I don’t want to lie to you just to make me look good in your eyes._

_You remember I told you a couple of days ago that we were being assigned to blocks of cells and would be starting to look after our own prisoners. I was really excited about this obviously, because it’s the first time we actually get to do the job we’re training for. Another guy, O’Rourke, who I don’t know that well, asked if I’d swap blocks because his was way up on the top level and he was scared of heights, but he didn’t want to tell Major Wade. I couldn’t see the harm in this, so I said yes. BIG mistake!!_

_Most of the day went well and after my last break I went to do a final check on the cells. Most of them were occupied so you use a code to open the door and then you stand on the threshold and you do a visual and verbal check. You’re not supposed to go into the cells in case the prisoners attack you. So that went well._

_There are some empty cells, and we have to check those just for ticking the box really, to make sure nothing is going on in there. I don’t know what could be happening – it’s not like the prisoners can get out of their cells and go and party! I had an empty cell on the last row so I checked on it, and I was curious to know how it felt to be locked in one of the cells, so I went in and the door shut behind me. It was kind of spooky. This cell had no window (most of them don’t) and it was tiny – just a box really. I felt claustrophobic really quickly so I went to let myself out and that’s when I found there was a problem._

_There’s no code to exit the cells because they don’t want the clever prisoners – someone like Sinclair for example – to hack into them and escape. We guards have to punch a code into our tablets and that opens the door. I went to do that, and God, Abby, my heart sank again. I’d left my tablet in the break room!! The memory of looking at it popped into my mind and then I couldn’t remember picking it up and putting it in my pocket! I’m such an idiot, Jeez!! Why do you even like me let alone love me?_

_I thought, well this is a complete embarrassment but at least they know where I am and someone will come and let me out when I don’t report back at the end of the day. It was only an hour to wait, and I figured it would be good for me to experience the prisoner’s life for a while. It would give me perspective. The hour passed and no one came. I waited. Then another hour. I started to get worried. What was taking them so long? Eventually the lights in the cell went off and I was plunged into darkness and I realised no one was coming for me!! Why not?? Where did they think I was?_

_It was a long, lonely night, Abby. I thought about you and that kept me going, but I wouldn’t ever want to be in one of those cells for any length of time. The walls start to close in on you like the trash compactor in Star Wars (I forget you haven’t seen that. Somehow, we’re going to have to remedy that). I started to think – will I die in here? What if they never find me? I know that’s ridiculous but that’s where your mind travels when you’re locked up all alone._

_Obviously I survived because I’m here writing to you! The next morning I was freed from my prison and returned to face an angry Major Wade. It turned out O’Rourke was too chicken to tell them we’d swapped areas, so when they searched for me they searched the area I was supposed to be in and not the one I was actually in. I’m going to kill that guy first chance I get!_

_Major Wade is not happy. I’m confined to quarters for two days doing administrative duties. At least it will give me more time to think about you xx_

_How are things with you, my love? Has your culture taken over the Ark yet? I haven’t heard anything, so I’m assuming we’re all safe. I wish this tablet had a video camera so we could see each other and talk, or even if we couldn’t do that we could record messages so I could at least see you and hear you. Maybe I’ll talk to Sinclair about it, see if he has any ideas. Would you talk to me via video? I would give anything to be able to see you right now._

_Write soon – tell me you still love your idiot beau!_

_I love you. Can’t wait to see you!_

_Marcus xxxxxxxxx_

_\---_

_Dear Marcus_

_The worst has happened! My culture has gone missing!!! It’s not in the lab where I left it. I don’t know where it is. I’ve asked a few people quietly if they’ve seen it but no one has. I’m so worried about what has happened to it. It had grown considerably and I’m still awaiting the test results so I don’t know what I’ve created. What if it really is taking over the Ark! Oh, my God! I’m trying to keep calm. I’m trying to think what would Marcus do? You would be calm and logical. There is no logical explanation for this, though! Someone must have taken it but why would they? What could they gain from it?_

_I’m not bothered about losing the extra credit if I can’t find it. I’m just worried that I don’t really know what it is or if it’s dangerous. What if someone gets hurt?_

_Okay. I have to go and do something to try and find it. I just wanted to let this out and you’re the only one who listens to me and understands me._

_I love you!_

_Abby xxxxx_

_\---_

_Dear Marcus_

_God, I completely forgot to say anything about what you went through! That sounds so awful I can’t imagine having to spend the night in the cell like that and not knowing if anyone would find you! I don’t even like to think about that! If I lost you I would die. I’m so glad you’re okay. I’ll write more later._

_Abby xxxxxxx_

_\---_

_Dear Marcus_

_I still haven’t found the culture and now I’ve heard that some people are sick on Farm Station. The rumour is they’ve eaten something bad – a fungus!!! What if it’s my culture? What if they thought I was growing drugs or something like that and they stole it and ate it and now they’re dying!! I’m going to end up in a jail cell and you will only see me as a prisoner._

_I haven’t told Mr Newman about the missing culture or the people being ill on Farm Station. I’m too scared that he’ll put two and two together and I’ll be arrested for murder. I don’t think anyone’s died yet but it might only be a matter of time. I know I’m being a coward. I should tell him. Maybe I’ll try and question him first, see if there’s any possibility of my culture being poisonous. I might be getting upset over nothing._

_Oh, I wish you were here. I wish your arms were around me right now and you were telling me it’s all going to be okay. You would know what to say and do._

_I’m heading to afternoon class now so I’ll ask him and then I guess I’ll have to fess up about the culture being missing and the fact that I’ve poisoned everyone on Farm Station!!! Think of me!!! Sorry for sending all these messages. You’re going to get them all in one go at the end of the day and none of it will make any sense!_

_All my love and kisses maybe for the last time!!!_

_Abby xxxx_

_\---_

_Dear Abby_

_I’m on my break and I got all your messages! I’m so sorry this is happening to you! I’m sure there’s a simple explanation. I know this is probably a stupid thing to say but did you check down the back of the cabinet? You wouldn’t believe the amount of things I lose and then I find them down the back of the drawers or under the bed._

_I’m sure you haven’t poisoned anyone on Farm Station or anywhere else! They’re probably ill from doing the same things the people I processed earlier in the week did. They’re all pot heads over there! It’s a den of iniquity._

_I feel so useless because I can’t help you, but I am sending you all my love and thoughts and I know you will find it or there will be an obvious explanation. Someone has probably just cleaned it away not realising what it was._

_Write to me as soon as class is finished._

_You’ll be fine because you’re my clever, talented girl._

_I love you to the Earth and back!_

_Marcus xxx_

_\---_

_Abby – are you there? Class should be over now. Talk to me!_

_Marcus xxx_

_\---_

_Abby? It’s getting late. Where are you? I’m working a late shift tonight but I’ll check my tablet every chance I get. Xxx_

_\---_

_Abby?_

_\---_

Marcus had just finished his supper in the Prison Station mess when Sinclair came in to tell him there was a new intake of prisoners. His mind was only half on the job because he was thinking about Abby and wondering where she was and why she hadn’t written back to him. It took him a few moments, then, to process what he saw when he went into the Admin office.

There was a line of five people who had just been processed, and there at the end, looking small and pale, was Abby. Oh fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Had those people really died? Jesus, please no! All the organs in his body seemed to melt into his boots, leaving him slack and bloodless.

“Jesus, that’s Abby!” whispered Sinclair.

“I know!” said Marcus, glaring at his friend for stating the obvious.

“What’s she doing here?”

“How would I know?”

“She’s a prisoner!”

“I can see that!”

As Marcus watched, the line of prisoners was marched towards their cells. Abby saw him, her eyes growing wide and bright, and Kane started to move towards her, stopped only by Sinclair’s hand on his arm, dragging him back.

“Let me go!”

“Don’t be an idiot. If they realise you know her they’ll never let you near her.”

Marcus realised Sinclair was right, but it was heartbreaking watching her leave and not being able to talk to her or comfort her. What the hell had happened?

“We need to get into the computer,” he said, and when the coast was clear they went into the back office.

Sinclair sat at the computer because Marcus was too shaky to be able to type. He brought up Abby’s file and Marcus peered over his friend’s shoulder trying to read it.

“She’s been booked for fighting. She punched someone called Paul Mbege,” said Sinclair.

“What? There’s nothing about poisonings?”

Sinclair swivelled in his chair and stared slack-jawed at Marcus. “Poisonings? Why would you think that?”

“Nothing. Just something she said.”

“What do you and her get up to?”

“Punching someone!” mused Marcus. He couldn’t help smiling, because whilst Abby was kind and loving she was also feisty. This Mbege must have done something bad to provoke her.

“You know how to pick them,” laughed Sinclair.

“She stands up for herself, that’s all.”

“I know. I like her you know I do. We have to get to the bottom of this.”

“I need to see her.”

“You can’t. She’s in Cell Block T and that’s not in your block.”

“You could find out the code though, couldn’t you?” Marcus gave Sinclair his best pleading look. It worked on Abby most times, but he hadn’t tried it on his friend in a long time.

Sinclair tutted and sighed. “You’re taking the fall for this if you’re caught.”

“Agreed.”

Sinclair found the code for Abby’s cell and Marcus tucked it into the pocket of his uniform. He finished the final hour of his shift, and then he walked to Block T as though he had every right to be there. No one noticed him and when he was outside her door he knocked and then entered the code quickly before he was caught. The door opened and he walked in. Abby was sitting on the bed, and she jumped up when she saw it was him.

“Marcus!” she cried, and she ran towards him.

Marcus shut the door behind him, then he took her in his arms and held her tight, kissing her hair, stroking it. “It’s okay,” he said. “I’m here.” She sobbed, her tears dampening his neck. He held her until she grew quiet and then he pulled back so he could look at her. “What happened?” he said, brushing the tears from her face.

Her eyes darkened and her lips drew tight. “Mbege!” she said, spitting the name out. “That’s what happened.”

“Who is he?”

“He’s in my class. I’d been questioning Mr Newman about poisonings and fungus and stuff and he said some things could be really bad which I knew and that’s why I was so freaked out. Mbege said he had some of the symptoms and that he’d eaten this food I’d left out in the lab and now he felt really sick. He was pale and he had these spots on his face like a rash and I wanted to die, Marcus! I really thought I’d poisoned him. I had to tell Mr Newman about the culture going missing and all hell broke loose!

“He called my mom and she came to the classroom and everyone was gathered around Mbege who was writhing on the floor clutching his stomach and I just stood there! I didn’t know what to do. I thought I was watching him die! My mom said he seemed fine, he had no fever or anything and then he just started laughing. It was a prank, Marcus. He’d stolen the culture and he hadn’t eaten it at all. He just thought it would be funny.”

“Oh, Abby.” Her small face was twisted with pain and anger, her eyes bright and shining.

“He hates me!”

“I’m sure he doesn’t hate you. He just sounds like a dick.”

“He is a dick, but he does hate me. He calls me BrainyAbby and he’s always picking on me.”

She sighed and pushed her lips out into a pout. Marcus wanted to smile because she looked so cute like that, but he didn’t think a smile would go down well. Besides, what this Mbege had done was really crappy.

“I saw that you’re in here for fighting.”

She nodded defiantly. “When what he’d done sunk in I was so mad I just lost all sense! I flew at him and I pinned him to the floor and I got a couple of good punches in before Mr Newman pulled me off him. It felt really good!”

“I bet it did.” Marcus did smile now; he couldn’t help it.

“What are you smiling at?”

“You, my fierce warrior.”

“You’d better not be taking the Mick!”

“I am not. I’m proud of you, and it’s kind of hot thinking about you punching him. He deserved it.”

“He did!”

“How did you end up here? Did you really hurt him?”

“No. He was fine. My dad was angry and he made the guards put me here to teach me a lesson. He said a night in the cells would give me time to think about what I’d done and make sure I never did it again.”

“Wow, that’s harsh,” said Marcus, who thought if anyone deserved to be in a cell it was Mbege not Abby. Why didn’t her dad defend her instead of punishing her?

Abby shrugged. “I guess he knows what’s best.”

“Hmm. Well, there’s one good thing to come out of this.”

“What?” she said, looking up at him so innocently he felt bad about the thoughts that were running through his head.

“We get to see each other. This has been the worst week for both of us, but now you’re here, and I’m here.”

“That’s true.” She smiled warmly, took his hand in hers.

“We should make the most of it,” he whispered, running the back of his other hand down her cheek to her lips.

She sighed and closed her eyes. He rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip, and then he leaned in and kissed her. She put her arms around his neck, her fingers stroking the soft hairs there, and he got lost in the warmth and sweetness of her.

“I love you in your uniform,” she said when they took a breath. She fingered the lapels, then the buttons of his jacket.

“Yeah? You think I look good?”

“Really good.”

Marcus grasped her fingers. “I’d look better out of it though, don’t you think?” He guided her fingers to undo one of the buttons.

“Can we do that here? What if we get caught?”

“No one will come in now. We can do what we want.”

She undid the next button. “Won’t you be missed?”

“No. Sinclair will cover for me. I’ve got some time.” It was lights out in an hour and he figured he had until then before there was even the slightest chance of anyone wondering where he was. He wanted to make the most of this unexpected opportunity to be with Abby.

“I don’t want you to get into trouble,” she said, easing his jacket from his shoulders.

“I won’t.” He unzipped her jacket, dropped it to the floor on top of his.

“I’ve missed you,” murmured Abby, and then they were grabbing each other, kissing passionately.

Marcus pulled his t-shirt over his head and Abby stroked his chest, pressing hot kisses all over him. God, it felt amazing. She didn’t hesitate this time when he untucked her vest from her jeans, and held up her arms so he could pull it over her head. He pressed her against the wall of the cell, bent his head so he could devote himself to his favourite part of her. It felt good to hear the moans that escaped her, feel her hot breaths on the back of his neck.

He worked his way back up to her lips, kissing her almost frantically because he knew their time was running out. Her hands were on his bare back, fingers skirting the waistband of his uniform pants, then they slipped beneath, down to his ass. She squeezed him and he groaned.

“Shall I take them off?” he whispered, his heart pounding with anticipation.

He could hear her short breaths in the silence that followed, could almost hear the thoughts going round in her head.

“Not yet,” he said, answering his own question so she wouldn’t have to.

“I do want to,” she said.

“I know. It’s a big step.”

“It is.”

“This is nice, though, like this. I like it.”

“Good.” She squeezed him again, inadvertently pushing him against her. They both let out shocked gasps at the contact.

“God!” said Marcus.

“Yeah,” breathed Abby.

“Did you like that?”

“Yes.”

He rubbed against her again and again and she gripped his butt cheeks and he was in serious danger of embarrassing himself it felt so good, so hot, nothing like anything he’d done on his own.

“We should stop, before...” he said, which was possibly the most difficult sentence he’d ever had to emit, because his body wanted to do the exact opposite, but he didn’t want to make a mess of his uniform, and not in front of Abby.

She nodded, looked up at him her cheeks pink and her eyes dark. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Are you?”

She nodded again.

“Have you ever...” he didn’t know how to put into words the question he wanted to ask her. He suspected women must feel the same way physically as men but they didn’t show such obvious signs. They surely had to relieve those feelings like he did. Did Abby know how?

“Have I ever what?”

“You know how I, erm, get when we’re together?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I, erm, I take care of that when I’m alone. I have to.”

“I know. I know all about that.”

“Do you?” he said, relieved.

“Yes. I’m a biologist.” She seemed more amused than anything else when he finally looked her in the eye.

“Oh, good. Yes, of course you do. You probably know better than me.” That caused her to blush, and Marcus felt warmth flood his own cheeks. “So... do you... have you... felt the need yourself?” He puffed out a short breath of relief when he’d finally got the words out.

“I’ve tried,” she said, not looking at him, “but nothing really happened.”

“Well tonight, when the lights go out, why don’t you think about me and I’ll think about you at the same time and maybe you can try again. It might be easier after today.”

She looked up at him then, her lips parting as she took in a soft breath.

“Nothing has to happen,” he continued. “It might just feel nice to think about us, that’s all I’m saying, and it would be great just to know you’re thinking about me when I’m thinking about you.”

“Okay. I can do that.” She smiled shyly, and Marcus kissed her again.

“This has been so great. I can’t believe I got the chance to see you, even if you are a prisoner,” he said, picking up her vest and handing it to her before reluctantly pulling on his own t-shirt. “I have to get back before lights out, though. I wish I could stay.”

“I wish you could stay as well. I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too. We have a break coming up. Maybe we can do a movie date again like last time, and then spend some time alone.”

“That would be awesome!”

“I’ll make it happen.” He took her in his arms again, kissed her, held her tight, before letting her go with a sigh. “I love you, and I’m so proud of you. Always stand up for yourself, don’t let bastards like Mbege get you down.”

“I won’t. I love you too. I’ll be thinking about you.”

“I’ll be thinking about you too.” Marcus punched the code into his tablet and the door swung open. He peered outside and the coast looked clear. He looked at Abby one last time. “May we meet again.”

“We will,” she said softly as the door closed.


	14. In a Galaxy Far, Far Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a day of firsts as Marcus takes Abby on a date, and things heat up between the young lovebirds

The first week in May was a period on the Ark when everyone got some time off. It was a hangover from Earth days, when the arrival of spring was celebrated in the fields and later in the factories before eventually becoming a worldwide celebration of workers. Marcus had a precious two days off and was planning to spend them with Abby. His mother had other ideas and had been messaging him constantly asking to see him as it had been five months since he’d left for prison station. He felt bad momentarily, but the lure of time with Abby was far, far greater than that of time with his mom. He’d fobbed her off with the promise of spending some of his longer summer break with her and decided to worry about how to prevent that happening nearer the time.

He was taking Abby to the Ark cinema on a date and the usual precautions were in place. Aurora would play chaperone and hopefully this time he wouldn’t have to put up with Jaha’s furtive glances along the row. He wished he could wear his uniform because she liked it and they’d gone further than ever before last time he was wearing it, but it wasn’t permitted outside of work. Instead, he’d traded an old pair of boots for a jacket that was similar to his uniform one. He was confident as he checked himself in the mirror that he would make a good impression. He had another surprise for her as well, although what she would make of it remained to be seen.

He headed to Alpha station early because he wanted to go to their room and make sure everything was still in place and it was clean and tidy for later. Satisfied that it was, he made his way to the cinema. Sinclair was standing outside with Kira, and Marcus’s heart sank when he saw Jaha talking to him. He’d been hoping to avoid the man, didn’t like the way he looked at Abby, never mind the fact he worked with her father.

“Where’ve you been?” said Sinclair, patting him on the back. “You left ages before me.”

“I had some errands to run. Hi, Kira.”

“Hi, Marcus, where’s A... ow!” Sinclair had elbowed her before she could say Abby’s name, and he shared an apologetic glance with Marcus.

“Good afternoon, Marcus,” said Jaha. “How are things on prison station?”

“I am progressing well. Top student,” he said proudly.

“Joint top student!” said Sinclair, nudging him.

“Sinclair clings to my coattails,” said Marcus.

“We both know it’s the other way around, Kexecute.”

“Stop calling me that!" said Marcus, laughing. He jostled Sinclair and it turned into a mock fight. Jaha stared at them as though they were another species. They probably were to him.

“What does Kexecute mean?”

“It’s what Kane does to prisoners he doesn’t like,” said Sinclair, getting Marcus into a headlock.

“It is not!” puffed Marcus, trying to twist free. “I made a minor computer error which Sinclair still finds amusing as he has no life.”

“I see,” said Jaha, his arms folded and a look of disdain on his face.

Marcus managed to push Sinclair away and they stood laughing at each other breathlessly. He didn’t realise Abby had arrived until Jaha spoke.

“Abby!” he said. “How nice to see you.”

“It’s nice to see you, Thelonious. How are you? How is your father?”

Marcus turned to look at her, his pleasure at seeing her tempered with the realisation that she probably saw Jaha more than him, knew about his life, what he did, maybe even had long conversations with him. Ugh!

“He has taken a turn for the worse, I’m afraid.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” She smiled sympathetically at him, then turned her eyes on Marcus, bathing him in a warm light. “Hello, Marcus. Hi, Sinclair. Hi, Kira!”

She went up to Kira, gave her a hug. Marcus received no such treatment of course, not in public. He was desperate to touch her, had to put his hands behind his back to stop himself. He bounced on his toes, wished Jaha would disappear into a black hole.

“I’m excited to see a movie,” Abby said. “What is it?”

“It’s Star Wars,” said Jaha, stealing Marcus’s moment. Marcus glowered at him behind his back. “Have you seen it?”

“I have not,” said Abby, glancing at Marcus. She frowned when she saw the look on his face. He tried to smile but feared it probably looked more like a grimace.

“I don’t care if it’s Star Wars or Dick Wars,” said Aurora with her usual aplomb. “I’m just glad to have some time off! Factory station is a goddamn sweatshop!”

“I didn’t realise you actually worked there,” said Jaha. “You always seem to be on Alpha station.”

“I deliver goods, beanpole,” she said, running her fingers over the buttons of his shirt. “You want to buy from me?” She slid her hand lower and Jaha jumped back.

“I do not!” he said.

“Shame. You know what they say about tall men.” She winked at him and Jaha scowled and moved away. Aurora turned to them and clapped. “That’s got rid of him! No need to thank me.”

“What do they say about tall men?” said Abby, and everyone except her collapsed into fits of laughter.

“They have big hearts, Doc,” said Aurora, putting her arm around her. “Shall we go steal the best seats?”

Inside the cinema Aurora claimed the back row, forcibly removing two young men who had already taken seats in the same manner she had last time. She sat at the end, saved a seat next to her.

“I’m expecting someone,” she said.

Abby sat next to the empty seat, with Marcus next to her. Sinclair sat beside him with Kira. There was no sign of Jaha.

“Why were you all laughing about the tall men thing Aurora said? What did I miss?” said Abby when they were settled.

Marcus leaned close so he could whisper in her ear. “She meant that tall men have big, you know, penises.”

“Oh!” said Abby, blushing. “I don’t think there’s any scientific evidence for that.”

“Well, I’m tall,” said Marcus, looking pointedly at her. She blushed further, then laughed. He loved when she blushed like that, wanted to kiss her desperately, but the lights were still on and it was too risky. He took her hand instead, stroked it. “How was your dad, was he okay with you leaving?”

“He wanted me to spend the day with him and mom, but she told him I should be with my friends. She’s been amazing.”

“Do you think she knows you’re with me?”

“Probably. She asks about you sometimes.”

“Does she? what does she want to know?”

“Just how you’re doing in your traineeship. I told her you’re the best student they’ve ever had.”

“I bet she was pleased to hear that.”

“It made her smile, yes.”

“Good.” He squeezed her hand. “We need her to like me.”

“I know. She does.”

“Like mother like daughter.” He grinned at her and she gave him a smile that made his heart thump painfully against his chest.

“Why were you angry before? When Jaha said about the movie. You had a face like thunder.”

“Oh. It’s just that I really wanted to surprise you with that. It was me that got them to play the movie because I really wanted you to see it.”

“Oh gosh, really! How did you manage that?”

“One of my fellow trainees, his mom is in charge of the cinema and I asked him if he would ask her to play it. It cost me three day’s rations. I was starving for a while.”

“Marcus, you shouldn’t have given up eating!” She looked at him with alarm, and he stroked her face gently.

“I didn’t give up completely, just my dinner. You can tell me later if I still look good or not.” He whispered this to her, his hand on the back of her head, thumb stroking her hair. She raised her head, her lips only millimetres from his.

“’Scuse me, ‘scuse me,” said a voice, and Marcus felt Sinclair stand next to him. He looked around, saw Charles Pike heading their way. He hadn’t seen him since just after Unity Day when they’d had an argument about something he couldn’t remember. He looked askance at Aurora.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be keeping him occupied.” She made a gesture Marcus was glad Abby couldn’t see.

“You’d better.”

“What’s happening, oh, it’s Charles.” Abby stood, smiled as Pike pushed past them. “Hello,” she said.

Pike grunted at her without any seeming recognition.

“Ignore him,” said Marcus, turning her to face him again. The lights went down, and the room grew quiet. He found Abby’s lips in the dark, kissed her softly. Their tongues were deep in each other’s mouths when the music started playing and he reluctantly tore himself away. “We can’t miss the opening credits,” he said when she made a kind of mewling noise at the loss of contact.

“What’s so special about them?”

“You’ll see. It’s iconic, just amazing.” He put his arm around her and she rested her head against his shoulder, her hand grasping his. The thought that she might not like Star Wars flitted through Marcus’s mind. What would that mean if she didn’t? He dismissed the thought. The movie starred Harrison Ford and she liked him, thought Marcus looked like him. It would be fine. He settled back, smiling as the famous credits rolled.

\---

Abby opened the door to their room with a sense of homecoming. It was like their place, their private quarters. One day they would have somewhere like this officially where they would build their lives together. She would go to Medical as a doctor and Marcus would be a Guard and every night they would come home to the same place and spend all their time together. Warmth flooded her body at the thought of that.

“It doesn’t matter how many times I see that movie it never gets old!” said Marcus as he followed her through the door.

He’d been gushing about it since they’d left the cinema. In fact, he’d been so intent on watching it they’d hardly done any making out in the cinema and Abby was desperate for some time alone with him, if she could get him to stop talking about Star Wars first.

“I thought it was fantastic,” she said, knowing that was what he wanted to hear. It wasn’t a lie, although she didn’t feel any great desire to watch it ten thousand times like Marcus had done.

“What was your favourite part?” Marcus plopped onto the sofa, pulled her onto his knee.

“I liked Han Solo. He’s really cool.”

“I thought you would. He is cool.”

“Yeah, but Princess Leia is the best. She’s so strong standing up to Darth Vader and all his men.”

“She kinda reminds me of you,” Marcus said, stroking her hair.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, and Han Solo really likes her.”

“He does.” She put her hand on his face, caressed his cheek. “I bet he wants to kiss her all the time.”

“He would, because she’s beautiful.” He leaned towards her and she put her arms around his neck. They kissed until her jaw was aching, pulled apart with happy sighs.

“Remember I told you that being in the prison cell felt like being in the trash compacter in Star Wars?” said Marcus.

“Yeah! I understand that now. That part was pretty scary, I mean even though you know they’re not going to really get squashed I still had my heart in my mouth.”

“You say you know they’re not going to get squashed, but I don’t think anything’s for certain in the movie. I mean, look at what happened to Ben!”

“Oh, God, that was so sad. I cried when he died.”

“I know you did; it was cute.”

“Those lightsabers were so cool, though.”

“Oh, yeah. We have something like that on prison station you know. They’re called shock batons and they give out an electrical charge when you press a button, so they kind of look like a lightsaber.”

“They sound horrible!”

“They’re only used if someone causes a lot of trouble. They’re more a threat really to keep people in line.”

“I still don’t like the sound of them.”

“I’m having weapons training soon, so I’ll be getting to use one.” He looked excited at the prospect, but Abby couldn’t imagine him with any kind of weapon. He was kind and caring and gentle.

“I hope you never have to use it on a person.”

“I might have to if they break the rules.”

“Let’s hope no one ever breaks the rules!”

“That’s one thing you’ll never do,” said Marcus, taking her into his arms again. “You’re too good.”

“We broke the rules in my prison cell last month,” she whispered.

“Hmm, so we did.”

Marcus manoeuvred them both until Abby was lying on her back on the sofa and he was above her. He put his hands beneath her top, slid them up towards her breasts. He fondled her gently, his thumbs rubbing her nipples making them hard. She sighed happily, and a moment later her vest was pushed up and his mouth was on her. She squirmed beneath him, not because she didn’t like it but because she did. It made her feel good, made areas of her body throb, which they did a lot these days whenever she thought about him, and doing things like this.

She caressed his hair while he was kissing her breasts, ran her fingers through it, enjoyed its softness. She pressed her fingertips into his scalp, massaged his head.

“Mmm,” he mumbled.

“Does that feel good?”

“Yeah.”

He returned to his task, the roughness of his tongue on her sensitive areas making Abby tingle all over. Then a pain shot up her leg and she jumped, nearly making him fall off her.

“Ow!” she said.

“What is it? Have I hurt you?”

“No, but you need to get off me.”

Marcus stood on the floor and Abby stretched her leg out. “Cramp,” she said. “It’s easing now.”

“Maybe we should put the cushions on the floor. It would be more comfortable.”

“Yes, okay.” She hobbled round the room trying to walk off the cramp while Marcus arranged something that to all intents and purposes was a bed. Abby looked at it. For some reason it made everything seem more real, like things could happen, would happen, things that people did in beds. A nervous excitement rushed through her veins. It didn’t mean anything more than what they were already doing, and she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to, nor would she, but still... there were possibilities, things that lay ahead of them, closer now than ever.

Marcus walked towards her, took her in his arms. “Are you okay now?”

“Yes, I think so.”

He spun her around the room like they were dancing, though there was no music. “You’re a beautiful Princess Leia,” he whispered into her ear.

“You’re a handsome Han Solo. More handsome than him.”

He smiled. “That’s good to hear, cause I’m a little bit jealous of Harrison Ford.”

“There’s no need to be jealous. I only want you.”

“I only want you too.”

They were at the makeshift bed and Marcus sat down on it, still holding Abby’s hand. She sat next to him. He pulled off his top then he caressed her face, brought her lips to his and kissed them. He lay back on the bed, pulled her on top of him. She straddled his thighs, leant forwards so she could kiss his chest. She tried to pay the same attention to him as he had to her, kissing him in the same way, using her tongue. He groaned loudly, and his body pushed up against hers. His eyes were closed so she thought it was an involuntary reaction.

She sat back a little so she could run her hands all over him, feel his warm skin beneath her fingers, the soft hairs, and his flat stomach with its clearly defined muscles. Rectus abdominis and external oblique, and beneath those transverse abdominis and internal oblique. The rectus abdominis led from the sternum to the pubic bone and she traced its path slowly with her fingers, the muscles rippling beneath her touch. When she reached the waistband of his pants he bucked towards her again. There was a bulge beneath the material, and it was tempting to run her fingers lower, to touch him there, but what would happen if she did that? What would he expect? She decided against it for now, retraced her path instead, up towards his sternum, her palms sliding over pectoralis major, out to the deltoids, thumbs rubbing along the sharp clavicles.

“God, you are good,” he moaned.

“Your body is beautiful,” she said, and then she found herself flipped gently onto her back, and he was pulling up her vest again. She held out her arms so he could remove it.

“Not as beautiful as yours,” he said, caressing every inch of her available to him.

He lay on top of her, kissing her lips, and Abby stroked his bare back. They were moulded together, the hard part of him pressing against her jeans. He moved his hips so he rubbed against her like he had in the prison cell. Abby’s breaths quickened from a mixture of nervousness, anticipation and the warm feeling it engendered in her. He paused as though waiting for her to say no. She said nothing, just gripped his back. He moved again, more purposefully this time, and the seam of her jeans rubbed against her making her feel so good she pushed back and soon they were rocking together.

It seemed natural to put her legs around him and when she did the increased contact made them both groan loud enough for half of Alpha to hear. Marcus’s breaths were quick and heavy in her ear as he kissed the side of her face. Abby held on to him, lost in a warm haze.

“We should stop,” he whispered.

“You don’t have to,” she murmured, her heart thumping at the daring of her words. This was an entirely new step, but she wanted it, for him especially.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, gripped him tighter. He looked into her eyes, took a shuddering breath, then he was grinding against her and every breath held a moan. He moved faster and faster and Abby clung to him and then he let out a long, loud groan and he slowed. He held her tight, kissed her cheek.

“God,” he puffed.

“Was it good?”

“Incredible.”

Abby smiled with pleasure. “Good.” She stroked his face, pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

“What about you? Did you... did anything happen?”

“It was wonderful. I got really warm.”

He smiled gently. “Yes, but was there anything more? For me, it was like an explosion at the end, like a release, you know? You can feel it happening, like it builds and builds and then whoosh!”

“I get like... it feels like really, really good and like something will happen but I don’t know what it would be and there’s nothing like you’re saying.” She frowned, feeling awkward, as though she was missing something.

“Don’t worry. Sinclair says girls need longer.”

“Does he?” she said, feeling some relief.

“Yeah. I was probably... I didn’t take my time. I just got so excited and I guess I got carried away.” He pursed his lips as he studied her. “We could try. I could touch you, like with my hands, cause I don’t think this is hard enough anymore.” He laughed, pointing at his groin.

“Through my jeans?”

“Yeah, or closer, if you want.”

Abby sucked in an involuntary breath at the thought of what he was saying, what it meant. “Yes,” she said, because she needed to know now, wanted to feel what Marcus had felt. Her stomach flipped upside down as Marcus put his hands on her jeans, eased the zipper down. His hands were shaking, and Abby realised this was a big deal to both of them.

“Don’t take them off,” she said.

“Okay,” he said, spreading the opening of the pants as wide as it would go.

He lay beside her and kissed her slowly, sweetly. His hand caressed her stomach and Abby tensed as his fingers found the waistband of her panties. They slipped beneath, began what felt like a long, ponderous journey lower. The muscles in her legs were aching from holding them tense. She tried to relax, but it was impossible. Then he found the most private part of her, sighed a warm breath against her cheek as he touched her there.

“God,” said Abby, unable to stop her legs shaking.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Just tell me what feels good,” he said as he began an exploration with his fingers.

“There. Just there is nice,” she said as he touched where she was most sensitive.

He rubbed her with his fingers like he had through her jeans and Abby felt warmth building there. She got over her nerves quickly because it felt too good to stop. She found it was nicest when he rubbed in circles and she pushed her hips against him involuntarily.

“Please don’t stop doing that,” she said, and she closed her eyes, concentrated on the warmth coming from beneath his fingers, radiating out along her nerves like the spokes on a wheel. When it happened, it was like he’d said, a slow build up and then an overwhelming need for a release of the tension. It made her head hot, set her teeth on edge.

“Oh, my God!” she said as she calmed down.

“It happened!” said Marcus, grinning. “I could feel it!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, like a pulse beneath my fingers. Was it good?” He gripped her, brought her to him and kissed her.

“Wow, yeah!” said Abby.

“What a day!” said Marcus. He flopped onto his back and Abby rolled into his arms.

“What was it like for you, down there?” she said.

“You were all silky and warm. It felt amazing.”

“I never knew anything could feel like that.”

“I know, right? I mean, I’ve been doing it a long time by myself, but with you it was a hundred times better. It’s never been that good before.”

“Will it be uncomfortable? You know, like, in your pants.” She laughed because it still felt strange having these kinds of conversations with him even after what they’d just done.

“I brought a change of clothes, NOT because I expected anything. I just wanted to be ready just in case, and I was quite prepared to have to keep those clothes here for a long time.”

“I don’t mind that you wanted it. I’m glad. It’s natural.”

“It’s all natural. We just have to be careful what we do in future, until we can be together properly.”

“We can’t have sex until I get my implant.”

“I know, and that’s cool. What we just did was amazing, more than enough.” He kissed her, then sat up. “I’d better change now before it does get uncomfortable.”

Abby watched as he rummaged behind the sofa, reappearing with a pair of black underpants. He unzipped his pants, pulled them down and stepped out of them. He turned away as he removed his underpants and she got a view of his ass, which was nice and rounded and firm, which she already knew from when she’d squeezed it, but it was strange to see it there in the flesh as it were. I’ve touched him there, she thought. He half turned as he stepped into the clean pants and she caught a glimpse of his penis dangling in the air as he bent to pull up the pants. It looked longer than the ones she’d seen in textbooks and was an olive brown colour like the rest of him.

This is real, she thought. This is all real. They were heading in one direction and that was to a full life together where they would know every inch of each other, every feeling, every thought. It was thrilling. Marcus put his combat pants back on and headed over to her.

“Shall we put these back on the sofa? It’s more comfortable for sitting.”

They rearranged the cushions and sat with their arms around each other looking out at the Earth below.

“I don’t know how I’m going to stay away from you now that we’ve done that,” Marcus said.

“I know! It’s going to be so hard.”

“You can always do it to yourself like I told you before. Now you know what to do, it will be easier.”

“I don’t know. I think I want to just do it with you. It will be more special that way.”

“You’re a stronger man than me,” he said, laughing. “Every time I think about you I feel the need, and I think about you a lot!”

“That could get awkward,” she said, resting her head against his shoulder.

“It does! Luckily these pants hide a multitude of sins.”

“I’m so glad I have you. I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else.”

He squeezed her shoulder, dropped a kiss on her head. “I waited for you,” he said. “I never wanted to do it before, well I wanted to do it of course I did, like all the time, but I knew there was someone for me. I knew she would be perfect, and you are. You’re worth waiting for. I’d wait until the end of the Earth for you.”

His words made Abby’s heart swell a thousand times its normal size. “I love you so much,” she said.

“I love you too. You make me happy.” He stroked her hair and Abby pressed her ear to his chest, lulled herself with the beating of his heart.


End file.
